I heard that familiar croaking call and rushed outside. But there was nothing and something told me to wait.
Source
So I waited and the next moment they appeared high up in the sky. It was the parents with their youngster. I was thrilled to see them and to please me they made a few turns up high. They have a very distinct call that is not repeated by any other bird and when I heard the first call inside our house, I knew immediately what it was. Blue Cranes!
You can read more about this fascinating bird HERE
Oh, I so wished that you could see this.
Like I said, they were very high up, but luckily not beyond my zoom.
This is the sad story below about the decline of the birds.
While it remains common in parts of its historic range, and approx. 26 000 individuals remain, it began a sudden population decline from around 1980 and is now classified as vulnerable.
In the last two decades, the blue crane has largely disappeared from the Eastern Cape, Lesotho, and Swaziland. The population in the northern Free State, Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West Province has declined by up to 90%. The majority of the remaining population is in eastern and southern South Africa, with a small and separate population in the Etosha Pan of northern Namibia. Occasionally, isolated breeding pairs are found in five neighbouring countries.
The primary causes of the sudden decline of the blue crane are human population growth, the conversion of grasslands into commercial tree plantations, and poisoning: deliberate (to protect crops) or accidental (baits intended for other species, and as a side-effect of crop dusting).
The South African government has stepped up legal protection for the blue crane. Other conservation measures are focusing on research, habitat management, education, and recruiting the help of private landowners.
Source
I have posted some Blue Cranes before and even a pair in the act of mating, but I have never seen them like this in their neat and majestic flight.
Sadly these beautiful birds are rated as endangered and we only have about 26,000 of them left. The good thing is that there are some blue crane projects with the focus on increasing their numbers.
Finally at the last turn they fanned out in line, to take the long flight over the mountain to the Overberg.
Just imagine how it was a few decades ago when the skies were filled with huge flocks of blue cranes. But the same as the thousands of elephants, blue wildebeest and lions, most of them are gone. I think that there is maybe one elephant left in the Knysna forest. They roamed in their hundreds in a valley where the town of Franschhoek is situated today.
Always a sad thing to see how the numbers of birds and animals are dwindling. But of course, humans and wild dangerous animals cannot live in the same area and so the animals have to go.
I think that I was born too late, as I so would have liked to see clouds of birds and great numbers of wild animals cruising around and doing their thing in total freedom.
Just my own thoughts here.
I hope that you have enjoyed the pictures and maybe the story.
And That's All Friends.
Photos, (except the Sourced one) by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon Powershot SX70HS Bridge camera.
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The National bird looks beautiful and the moment was nicely captured
Thank you and yes, it is a very special bird.
You’re welcome!!! Hope to see more interesting and exciting post from you
Thank you, a luta continua!
You’re welcome 🫶🏿🫶🏿
Wow they really looks so good and I haven't seen them like that. Its so seldom to capture their flight
Only a few have seen them like that, and you are correct about the rare times that they appear in flight.
I was blessed to get them on camera and unfortunately, they were too high up for me to make a video.
!PIZZA
Captured their beauty that way is enough too.. Maybe someday you can have a video of them.
Oh yeah! Maybe some day :)
A bird we also see seldom of late, majestic big birds on wing or on the ground!
Wishing you a magical day, take care and thanks for sharing.
!LUV
!PIZZA
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Let's hope that the blue crane projects will increase their numbers above the danger zone 😉
Hope that your day is also good Lady Joan.
!LUV
!PIZZA
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Hopefully numbers climb, noticeable drop in big bird numbers with the filthy rivers on this side.
Otherwise keep content rolling although not many here to visit and engage, too much partying I suppose it's that time of year.
!LOLZ Ho Ho Ho - slam dunk, another one gone, now to get through the weekend of fireworks!
I am looking to engage with a non-profit called Blue Crane projects in the Overberg. So we will see what comes of it.
Eerily quiet here around the town and if I didn't know better I would say that everybody is sleeping.
Roads are nice and empty.
Thank goodness we have no fireworks here. Light a cracker and go to jail by pimping and complaining neighbors. I remember how we used to battle with little Troy during the plague of fireworks up in Johannesburg. So we are happy !LOLZ as he didn't have to endure it during his last years.
Security have asked people not to complain about fireworks they have their hand full with crime and everything else at the moment. Tablet for Woody and put the TV up a bit he will freeze up next to me trying to make it through once again.
Durban region always sounds like a war zone, this year sadly prediction is for clear weather...., I always wish for heavy rain!
I read this to Marian as we lived in the hell hole called Rosettenville. We got Rescue drops for Troy and we are so glad that he spent his last 4 years without the sounds of fireworks.
I can imagine how poor Woody feels during the madness.
The reason that I read it to Marian, is that she also prayed for rain up there, and sometimes her prayers were answered.
Tell Marian thanks, the past couple of years a damper was thrown on the masses with noise, they carry on in between the rain, into the following days...
Rescue tablets are the ones I use for Woody, he still freezes which takes hours for him to recover from. Many dogs injured trying to flee gardens during this time, people have no consideration toward wildlife nor pets.
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I don't think I have ever seen a crane in nature now in a zoo - beautiful birds and hopefully the projects will work fine.
!WINE makes a delicious dinner with !PIZZA :)
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I would love you to see them Hannes and whenever we travel through the Overberg, we see some pairs in the canola fields on the farms. So yes, hopefully their numbers will increase.
Cheers and thanks.
👉👍😊
Have a !PIZZA from me, served with !LUV
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You have just captured it on the right time nice.
!LUV
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Oh yes, as they say, I was in the right place at the right time!
!LUV
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Oh, what a wonderful bird... Awesome nature!
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Thank you for the compliment!
!PIZZA
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I with that was a peacock, pics may be turned out better, no?
!PIZZA
Lovely, they look stately. Never seen blue cranes before.
Thank you and it makes my heart glad to show people new things that they have never seen.
Glad that you also liked it.
!LUV
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