My wife and I were distressed to discover one of the crane babies seems to be missing and presumed dead. Now that the chicks are getting so big, the family unit has been foraging farther away and crossing the very busy main road to find food. For some reason, they have never tried to walk further onto the property here at work behind the buildings (away from the road). We’ve been worried one might get hit by less than attentive or (unfortunately) evil drivers. For the past several days now, only one chick has been seen with the parents. It’s possible the other chick met a more “natural” end: disease, gator, choking. Whatever the case, I hope the remaining chick stays safe and the parents stay healthy enough for another brood next year.
Lonely Birder 