Hello my old friend! Sandhill Cranes have one of the longest fossil histories of any currently existing bird. The oldest unequivocal sandhill crane fossil is 2.5 million years old, older by half than the earliest remains of most living species of birds, primarily found from after the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary some 1.8 million years ago. (source: Wikipedia?"

Mama Eagle has been raising eaglets in this nest for many years, and this is the first time in several years that she has raised just one. No doubt this little one will be spoiled, not just from Mama but from her new mate as well.

A Sandhill Crane colt works on its worm snack while its sibling looks on and says, "You gonna eat all of that?"

An Eared Grebe and a Horned Grebe paddle along the shore in a lake at West Branch Forest Preserve in DuPage County, Illinois. Both had been taking turns diving and then popping back up several seconds later. Sometimes they would separate, but for the most part they were staying together as they navigated along the shoreline on an early Spring day.

A yellow warbler fills the summer morning with its joyful song, and we are grateful for the moment.

The Ruby-throated hummingbirds have become quite active in the last couple of weeks, and really enjoy watching them hover, dart from flower to flower, and of course chase each other with abandon.

These two juvenile eagles had recently fledged last year, and one evening I found them both perched in their nesting tree below their nest where they had spent the last 3 months. Of course they kept returning to the nest for a few weeks after this to be fed since they still hadn't learned to hunt, but it wouldn't be too much longer.

What in the heck is this, you may be asking. I debated on whether to post something a little different, but this image captures what I remember most about this encounter. This is a mama skunk with her 4 kits in tow . . .

An incoming squadron of American White Pelicans tightening up their formation and banking to the west.

Three mute swan cygnets huddle together before taking a nap.