We’ve had good luck seeing cranes in the past five years in Madison. Learning where in the city they nest is part of the equation. However, getting near enough to take a crisp picture has been more challenging. I rarely carry my camera with the close up lens. So I thought of an unique strategy; singing.
I started approaching them humming softly to let them know I was a friend. Then I started to sing the words and tune that sprang to mind. Here’s my reasoning. Cranes are not small birds. They are 1.25 meters tall. I wanted them to relax so I could get closer safely. I made up a simple four note tune and repeated it.
The result; I got the nearest I’ve ever stood to a wild crane!
I believe they’ve flown south for the winter. Perhaps I could write them a welcome song for next spring.
¡Olé! –Rebecca
This post is part of Debbie’s Six Word Saturday.
#6WS #sixwordsaturday
Fake Flamenco 
I can’t believe them walking down the parking lot! They are so shy here.
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We saw this mother and juvenile in next door Middleton, population is only 22,000. They live in a marsh three blocks away and commute to this landscape near an office park to forage for acorns.
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Great shot.
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Thanks, Sadje! So happy when I saw cranes. Seems a good omen.
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Very unusual sight.
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Wonderful pictures and great story! As I am unmusical, my singing would have chased the cranes away 😉.
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I don’t know, their cry is a rather guttural honk, they could consider you a bird of a feather. 😉
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😀
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What a wonderful experience , and an inspired way of making contact.
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Thanks, Margaret.
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Crisp pictures indeed!
I’ve never seen crane from this close. I’ve seen them at zoo.
Cranetastic 👏🏻👏🏻
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Thanks, Devang! Love the new adjective.
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Have a peaceful weekend ahead.
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You too, Devang!
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Wow! Lovely birds and photos. You are lucky, Cranes used to be part of English wildlife, but no more.
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How very sad! We are lucky.
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And their vocalization is something you never forget.
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So true, Lou. Unearthly and prehistoric!
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Great musical capture. What a brilliant idea to sing to them!
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What great phrasing; musical capture. Thank you, Suzette!
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My pleasure. Thank you!
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That’s so cool!
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Thanks, Susan. It was a magical experience.
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Wow, Rebecca. Great pics. And I want a recording of your little song!
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Thanks, Neal. I love to sing but I’m recording-shy.
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Great photo! Looks like your method worked, Rebecca.
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Thanks, Janet. So lucky to have dinosaurs in our midst.
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What a great approach! And the pictures are so cool! Thanks, Rebecca!
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Thanks, Wynne. It was a memorable moment.
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A great idea. I am going to try it with loons
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Thanks, it just might work. I’ll be keen to hear how it goes. 🙂
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What a beautiful approach Rebecca 😍🤗beautiful pictures equally
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Thank you, Saba. Cranes are mystical creatures.
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My pleasure 😊
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They are majestic birds. Getting that close to any bird is quite an achievement.
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Thanks, Piglet. The mother had such an intelligent look in her eye. She decided this human creature could come a little closer. I feel fortunate.
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Your brilliant plan worked! Love the photos. 😍
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Thanks, Michele. So sweet of you to phrase it that way. 💜
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You got amazingly close, Rebecca. But my question is, were they in the right parking spot? I guess they were visitors so that’s good. I’d hate to see them get towed. 🙂
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You’re hilarious, thanks! I’d say they’re visitors, appropriately parked 😉
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Singing to cranes to get close. How inventive and it worked. You got your picture.
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Thanks, Sandy! It felt like a real connection.
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Great photos! Cranes really are beautiful creatures.
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Thanks, Sheri. I hadn’t seen one before I moved to Madison.
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I may be bias but the south really does have some of the prettiest birds.
Have you seen one with it’s wings spread?
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Birds are beautiful everywhere 😉 I have from a distance, their wingspan is enormous!
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Well, I learn something new every day. Singing to cranes had never entered my thoughts. I wonder if it works with herons. 😀
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Great thought, herons are famously skittish. Perhaps a mellow folk tune…
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We have a lot of herons around here. I’ll be sure to try it. 🙂
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Excellent! Please report back with which song you chose and how the herons respond. 🙂
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Oh, how lovely! I envy you. We never see them here.
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Thanks, it is good luck they seem to find nesting sites here.
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Wow! I had no idea cranes were so tall!
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Thanks for commenting! They are 2-3 meters tall!
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What a clever way to get a great picture of them. Animals do respond to music. xo
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Thanks, Darlene. Yes, that’s very true. It’s a language in common for all living beings.
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That’s a nice strategy
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Thanks, I was so glad it worked. 🙂
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wow! 1 meter tall? Cool birds! I’m glad you got some great shots of them!
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Thanks, Carol Anne!
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Incredible shot!
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Thank you very much, Robert!
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That’s fascinating, Rebecca! It’s like a frequency…you literally calmed them with the frequency of your voice ❤
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Cool way to express it, Kathy. Thanks!
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