I don’t have any good Turkey shots for Thanksgiving, so these two Sandhill Cranes from Bosque del Apache NWR, will have to stand in…they are acting kind of turkeyish! They might not gobble, but they certainly honk, and not like a goose either. Much more turkeyish! Much. Trust me.

Of course they don’t fan their tail-feathers…so that’s a point against them…but they do strut…and that is a point in their favor, turkey-wise. I also suspect, by their behavior, that they are bit more intelligent than your average turkey. Certainly they have avoided, as a race, becoming a feast-day bird, and appearing plastic wrapped and hormone fat in grocery meat-cases in great numbers once a year. That speaks to a certain intelligence…or maybe they just don’t taste good 🙂

So you are probably thinking this is all much ado about pretty much nothing…and you would be right! One thing they do share with turkeys…and that is that I am always thankful to see them. They are a magnificent bird, if somewhat comical, and in that they are very turkey-like too. So, for Thanksgiving, I give thanks for Sandhill Cranes…and for turkeys!

And for every blessing of a blessed year!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.