On the Road Again

My grand kids had a couple of days off from school which gave them a long weekend. So they were coming for a visit. While on my way to pick them up at the half way meeting point which is 50 minutes away I was wondering what I'd see along the way.

I saw a Hawk on a dead tree branch.  I saw it out of the corner of my eye but could not get a good look at it.

As I continued on my way there was a small group of Sandhill Cranes eating corn from a plowed field. I could hear them before I saw them.

They are quite noisy. Sandhills are very big birds. 2.6 to 3.9 ft high with a wing span of 5.4 to 6.9 feet.
This crane frequently gives a loud trumpeting call that suggests a French-style "r" rolled in the throat, and they can be heard from a long distance. And believe me, you can hear them long before you ever see them. And sometimes you never do.

They will be going South soon. New Mexico is a favorite winter hang out. There is an annual Sandhill Crane Festival in November in New Mexico.

A deer had been hit. Not much of it was left. I felt bad for the person, the car (and the deer) who hit it. Going 70 does a lot of damage to a person, car and deer along a freeway. The deer looked like it was beheaded, skinned and left in pieces. I never saw such a mess on the highway or anywhere.

A tiny little black kitten was in the weeds along the road. I so wanted to stop and pick it up. It was facing the woods. It looked to be only about 5 or 6 weeks old. I hoped it hadn't been just dropped off along the road.  But knew it had. There were no houses or city life along that stretch of the highway. Just road and woods. Poor thing.

There was an unusual amount of tire blow outs on the freeway. They seemed to be everywhere along the highway. I have never had that happen nor seen a tire blow. It must be so scary.  Some pieces were the size of the whole tire.

Not something enjoyable along the highway. Very dangerous too.

I reached the meeting point which is a car share parking lot. I picked up my grand kids and back we went. I didn't see anything all the way home but then I wasn't paying much attention with me keeping an eye on the road and listening to the kids, singing Christmas songs I forgot to look for anything interesting along the way.

We get to my house right when a group of Sandhill Cranes are flying over head. Making the racket they make. Very loud, noisy birds as I said.

So my journey ended as it had began...with the Cranes. Beautiful birds.