Endangered Wildlife: Sandhill Crane

THESE BUEAITFUL BIRDS ARE ENDANGERED. THEY HAVE BEEN LIVING ON AND AROUND OUR PROPERTY FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS. EVEN THOUGH WE NEVER FEED THEM IT SEEMS THEY ARE HAPPY IN THIS AREA. THEY MATE FOR LIFE. WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PHOTOS ARE THE PARENTS AND THEIR YOUNG ONE. THIS IS THE SECOND YOUNG THAT WE HAVE SEEN. THUS PROVING THEY ARE GROWING IN NUMBERS SLOWLY BUT SURELY. IT WOULD BE TERRIBLE FOR FLORIDA WILDLIFE TO BE PUSHED OUT OF THEIR NATURAL HABITAT BY HUMANS THAT SHOW NO REGARD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEIR OWN THRILL RIDE.

THESE BIRDS ARE AN AWESOME SIGHT TO WATCH, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY FLY. IT'S DIFFERENT THEN ANY OTHER BIRD I HAVE WATCHED IN FLIGHT. THE REASON I AM TAKING THIS TIME TO WRITE ABOUT THEM IS DUE TO THE HARSH TREATMENT THEIR ENVIROMENT IS GETTING FROM THE 'MUD BOGGING' THAT GOES ON DAY AND NIGHT AT LAKE LUCY. LAKE LUCY IS THE LAKE DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM US AND HAS BECOME QUITE THE WETLAND FOR FLORIDA'S WILDLIFE.

HOWEVER, WITH THE TRASH AND DEBRIS LEFT OVER AFTER A 'MUD BOG' SESSION THE LAKE IS FASTLY BECOMING A DEATH TRAP FOR THE UNSUSPECTING WILDLIFE. WE CAN HEAR THE TRUCKS PULL IN AT NIGHT AND REV THEIR ENGINES WHICH SCATTERS ALL THE WILDLIFE THAT TRY TO CALL THE LAKE THEIR HOME.

FOR OUR PART WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO KEEP THE LAKE CLEAN BY REMOVING THE TRASH WHICH IS ACCUMULATED DAILY/NIGHTLY. ALUMINUM CANS, EMPTY CIGARETTE PACKAGES, PLASTIC AND GLASS BOTTLES AND ALSO TABACCO TINS. AND THAT DOESN'T COMPLETE THE LIST OF TRASH LEFT BEHIND BY THE BOGGERS. SHOES, SHIRTS, CIGARETTE BUTTS, BOTTLE CAPS, THE PLASTIC CARRIERS FOR 6 PACKS... ON AND ON THE LIST GROWS.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THE WILDLIFE HERE IN PUTNAM COUNTY FLORIDA AND UPDATE OUR BLOG IF AND WHEN THERE IS ANY CHANGE. OUR AREA HAS SUCH BEAUTIFUL WILDLIFE IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO LOSE EVEN A SMALL PORTION OF IT.

BEAUTIFUL RIGHT?