But first, allow me to share some information about sandhill cranes.

The scientific name is Grus Canadensis, a species of large bird of North America and of the northeastern part of Siberia. An estimated half a million of such birds migrate annually, (although they form large flocks of about 10,000) and settle in a particular place each migration season. While these birds are no longer considered “endangered species”, there was a time when their population went down to a few thousands in the 1940s, due to habitat destruction and hunting. These birds are now protected in the US, especially in Florida where the monetary penalty of killing a sandhill crane is severe and steep.

They are enormous creatures, the average weight among the male is more than 10 pounds, while the female is about 9 pounds. I casually call these birds “high flying emus” - emu because of their “prehistoric look” and their flying altitude of 5,280 feet (3,800 meters) or 2.2 miles. This is almost three-fourths the altitude of a Fokker 50 aircraft. They migrate in “V” formation at speeds of up to 83 kilometers per hour (51 mph) and travel an average of 250 kilometers (155 miles) each time.

These birds are about five feet tall, and have a wingspan of five to seven feet making it possible for them to save energy with less flapping of their wings. They are truly a sight to behold in the sky while flying either in small or large groups. In flight, the lead bird changes from time to time and those that follow make a honking sound in rapid succession. The female birds make twice as many calls compared to the males. (Sounds familiar, huh?) They usually start their migration flight after the sunrise and keep on flying until between a quarter of an hour to two hours before sunset.

The arrival of these huge birds, necks stretched with gray plumage and bright red crowns, every year in late autumn is a sight to behold. Many locals, as well as out-of-state tourists, come over to enjoy this spectacle. From afar, they fill the sky like dark storm clouds as they glide down into the open fields and take up temporary residence at their chosen seasonal home. The Department of Fish and Game of California sees to it that this is celebrated by an annual Sandhill Crane Festival featuring a wildlife show with raptors and bobcats, scientific lectures, and crane-centric poetry and dance.

These majestic birds winter over until February, when they go back to where they come from. There is a saying that “birds never lie”. It is quite an enigma how these fowls (and most other birds) are able to predict the weather. Their arrival and/or departure from their respective seasonal homes have accurately indicated the start or end of a season, or if there would be plenty of rain in a particular year. “Over the years, the timing of the migration of sandhill cranes south to the San Joaquin Valley has predicted winter weather, both wet and dry. Early migrations have meant big winters.” (from blog.sfgate.com/ski/2012/)

Here are a few more details from Wikipedia: “The Sandhill Crane has one of the longest fossil histories of any bird still found today. A 10-million-year-old crane fossil from Nebraska is often cited as being of this species, but this is more likely from a prehistoric relative or the direct ancestor of the Sandhill Crane and may not belong in the genus Grus. The oldest unequivocal Sandhill Crane fossil is 2.5 million years old, over one and a half times older than the earliest remains of most living species of birds, which are primarily found from after the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary some 1.8 million years ago.”

In this particular photo-taking trip, I observed that while these birds settle in large flocks of several thousands, they are also “family-oriented”. For those who don’t have relatives, they come together to form “survival groups” as they forage and roost together. I took several pictures where the male and female and their brood were staying close to each other.

If the above information has not caught your interest thus far, read (or review) what science has to say, and what people can learn from the geese.

SENSE OF THE GOOSE

When you see geese heading south for the winter, flying in a “V” formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily, because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front.

If we have the sense of a goose, we will stay in formation with those people who are heading the same way we are. (If they’re heading a different way, just go right ahead and do your thing.)

When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.

It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs, whether with people or with geese flying south.

Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

What message do we give when we honk from behind?

Finally – and this is important – when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out of the formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies; and only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their own group.

If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other.

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