The sandhill cranes were quite successful in doing a rain dance yesterday. The baby loves spreading his wings and strutting.  He looks like a flasher, and if you look closely, you can see me taking his picture via the sliding glass door, (and you might make out a cat on the table watching us.)
     The cranes dancing for the rain god got about an extra inch of water for the lake yesterday. While it downpours the cranes seem to walk, then stop for a few minutes and look up at the water coming at them. They look as if they don’t know what to make of it. Their feathers get matted and wet and then when the rain slows down, they run around with wings spread. I can remember when the baby was so tiny, and when the downpours came, he would run to his mother and hide beneath her. Only a tiny orange speck could be seen once the baby was ticked in. But, not anymore, the baby has a strong sense of self now, just the way any child, avian or human should be raised.