Travelin' Man

...or bird!
It's amazing to consider how many birds we often see at our feeders that are migratory birds. They travel to or from our area twice a year. They don't pack suitcases or stay in hotels. These fellows are more into 'winging' it. As soon as their instinct tells them its time, they head off in search of warmer areas with more abundant food sources. Some of these birds are neo-tropical migrants, which means they head for jungles and rainforests, while others may only migrate from up north to here or from here to Florida or Mexico. These are known as local migrants. Then there are the long haulers (I made that up) like the arctic terns, who migrate from the North Pole to the South Pole and then back again. That's a 12,000 mile trip...one way!! What a journey! I'm not sure they even have time to sit on the beach and watch the sunset before they turn around and head back. A banded tern was once recorded as having traveled 22,000 miles just three months after fledging. The terns unique migration allows it to see 2 summers per year and more daylight than any other animal on earth. That's one way to have a long summer vacation!
Here's a list of some local migratory birds you might see at your feeders or in our skies:

• ruby throated hummingbird
• scarlet tanager
• purple martin
• chimney swift
• yellow warbler
• barn swallow
  
• broad winged hawk
• American robin
• blue jay
• downy woodpecker
• black-capped chickadee
• American goldfinch
• eastern bluebird
• dark-eyed junco
• wood thrush
• peregrine falcon

Many of the brightly colored birds are the neo-tropical migrants. They are headed to the jungle after all and bright is definitely 'in' there! I love to travel so I think I would enjoy being a migratory bird. Watch for my next post, though, to find out some of the dangers a migratory bird faces along the way. Maybe I'd better rethink this?

I received this WONDERFUL link from Mrs. Shore that I have been waiting to share with you all. The sandhill crane (click on this to get the facts on the sandhill crane) resides in the northern US in the winter and heads to Florida for the summer...sounds like a lot of people I know! Here is some background information and an amazing slide show of a sandhill crane raising it's young.


Suntree area in Brevard County , Florida .

One of the Sand Hill Crane couples recently had an exciting addition to their family. When they built their nest near the water's edge it immediately drew attention of passers by. Soon there were two eggs sitting on top of the nest and the mother on top of them.
Those who were really curious passed by the site every morning and would stop their cars to get out and see if there were any new cranes yet. Many brought cameras of all shapes and sizes and would stand near the water for long periods of time hoping to catch a photo of the hatching.

Robert Grover, a dentist, didn't actually catch the birth but, he surely did capture some fabulous shots of the Momma, Papa and baby (the second egg never hatched). Then he put together a slide show with music that is just beautiful.

AMAZING SLIDE SHOW!!! (CLICK HERE)