Feeding a colt (that’s a baby crane) is a full time job. These Lesser Sandhill Cranes are finding leeches, worms, snails, fish, and other invertebrates in the mud.
Between meals, preening feathers is essential to keep feathers waterproof and in prime condition. The male wisely spent much time watching for predators. At least five Bald Eagles passed overhead during filming.
Nina Faust, a retired High School teacher, taught at Homer High and various Anchorage high schools during her 21 years of teaching. She lives on Inspiration Ridge Preserve in Homer with her partner Ed Bailey where she actively clicker trains her two pet alpacas, Gypsy and Canela. She and Ed are co-founders of Kachemak Crane Watch, which is dedicated to the protection of Sandhill Cranes and their habitat in Homer, Alaska and the surrounding Kachemak Bay area. She is also active with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and a variety of local conservation groups.
