According to the International Crane Foundation there are only 594 Whooping Cranes alive in the wild. Thus, when I knew I would be down in the Twin Cities, and two cranes had been often seen in the Minnesota Valley Nation Wildlife Refuge, I visited a bit after sunrise. While it took a while, I finally found the two Whoopers way across Rice Lake. While this photograph is poor due to the distance, I was just thrilled to see perhaps one of the rarest birds in the world. In the second photo there is also a Greater White-Fronted Goose in the foreground … another unusual bird for Minnesota.

The cranes were not the only large white birds present. Great Egrets are gathering on Rice Lake to feed heavily before starting their southern migration. It was fun to watch the dance of the egrets, a bird I rarely get to see in northern Minnesota.

Finally, on the way out of the area as I started my drive back to Duluth I stopped at Flying Clouds Fields in Eden Prairie. Blue Grosbeaks have extended their range to the north, and I struck pay dirt and saw this bird which would never be at home in the Boreal forest!

On the way driving down to the Minneapolis area, I also stumbled across this Sandhill Crane family intent on crossing the road, which leads one to ask the age old question … Why did the Sandhill Crane cross the road?

Video of the Great Egrets on Rice Lake