Sandhill Cranes!

While we live far from the sandhills of the midwest, we had a little flavor of the Platte River here in NJ today. Last February several Sandhill Cranes were found in an old corn field a stone's throw from our house. I didn't get to see them on two attempts and then they were gone. Yesterday, two cranes appeared in the same general area. I got the word and headed over there this morning. After a little scanning and moving to higher ground, I found the birds. Spectacular! The birds wandered around and picked from the ground while I watched. One started bugling continually, which echoed off the nearby buildings for a splendid aural effect. I wonder if he thought the echo was another bird? Our time together was brief as I had to get back home to attend a conference call for work. A new state bird! Schweeet.