Saturday, March 5, 2016

Saturday's Critters #116

Saturday's Critters #116

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

More sad news to share, we lost another dear blogging friend in Smiling Sally.  Sally was the host of Blue Monday. I am not sure of the details, but I believe she has been sick off and on. My prayers go out to Sally's family. RIP Smiling Sally!


The Sandhill Cranes were plentiful during our Tennessee trip. I have seen them in Florida, New Mexico and a few in Maryland. The Sandhill Cranes stop at the Hiwassee Wildlife refuge during their travel from their wintering ground in Florida to the Canada Tundra. I know these are not the greatest photos, the birds were quite a distance away.


The Sandhill Cranes stand nearly 4feet tall. They have a long neck, long legs, their bodies are gray and they have red on their heads.




"If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere." 




You can hear some of the Sandhill Cranes as they fly in on my Youtube video above.



"Spring is nature's way of saying, Let's Party!" Robin Williams


Some White-tailed deer we saw at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge. I hope you enjoyed our visit to the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge.





As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!

To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-BirdinThanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.


84 comments:

  1. the cranes are beautiful! and the deer too sweet! have a beautiful week!

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  2. The cranes are handsome birds and I love the deer. Thank you for hosting, Eileen. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  3. Beautiful photos.
    ~Have a nice weekend~

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  4. Beautiful Birds. I have never seen one but they do have them in Eastern Wa.
    MB

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  5. beautiful pictures. I love the light
    best susa

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  6. Good morning Eileen!:) The Sandhill Cranes are a spectacular sight, and the shot of them near the water is stunning. Lovely captures of the deer too. Have a great weekend!:)

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  7. I did see 4 sandhill cranes in Japan bur only far away so I could not get any shots of them :(

    Wishing you a happy weekend.

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  8. Hi Eileen, "If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere." I love this quote. And the cranes and White-tailed Deer are pretty. Thanks for hosting this meme. And thanks for permitting me to post my usual strange mix of "critters". Have a great day. Jo

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  9. So sorry to hear about Sally. I love your Sandhill Cranes and the short video. Yes Icould hear them. very mellow sound. Thanks for hosting and have a wonderful weekend.

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  10. Would love to see these birds flying in the wild, there would look wonderful..
    Amanda xx

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  11. Nice critters this week as always. Happy Day.

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  12. Hello!

    The Cranes are so beautiful!

    Happy Saturday :)

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  13. Como sempre, um prazer em ver tantas fotos lindas! Desejo ótimo fim de semana! bjs, chica

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  14. Hello Eileen and thanks again for hosting!
    The Sandhill Cranes are such large graceful birds and must be thrilling to watch and hear them fly overhead in real life!
    Such lovely deer feeding too!
    Have a lovely weekend!

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  15. Hi Eileen,
    Beautiful series of images of the cranes.
    Perfect photographed, my compliments.
    Best regards, Irma

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  16. Beautiful shots!
    Happy weekend
    hug Crissi

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  17. Hello Eileen. This must be a wonderful time of the year for you when you know that Sandhill Cranes are passing overhead and close by your home. Don't apologise for the pictures, I love them and would just love to see Sandhill Cranes again in real life.

    Have a brill weekend.

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  18. Hi Eileen
    I loved the sound of the Sandhill Cranes, and looking at them too.
    They are quite tall aren't they.

    One of the deer appears to be looking at you as you took the picture!

    Here's wishing you and yours a good weekend

    All the best Jan

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  19. The cranes are magnificent. We rarely see them in our south Florida neighborhood. Love that herd of deer!

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  20. Very true quote on nature! First time hearing about these Sandhill cranes... they look unique with red hats. Lovely photos and I enjoyed the deer with one interested to pose.

    I too share your thoughts on missing another blogger! Hope she rested in peace

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  21. Deer are so calming to the soul when I sit and watch them. Love the photo.

    And the Sandhill Cranes. Magnificent birds. Up in Lubbock Texas...many MANY miles from me, there have been 3 COMMON Cranes reported being sighted along with 100s of Sandhills. Now, THAT would be something to see, wouldn't it? Or have you seen the Common Cranes in your travels?

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  22. Hello Eileen! Sad news about Sally; she will be missed!
    "Spring is nature's way of saying, Let's Party!"
    Touching this quote... Life and nature is changing all the time. Between ups and downs, we must keep faith and positivity. I really appreciate your posts; many thanks for this lovely place where I can see lots of details from nature!indeed saying "If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere."
    Best regards in March!

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  23. Heisann... Thanks a lot for your nice comment on my blog. I will join you later this afternoon - so I come back - meantime I will meet a friend listening to a R/B/Jazzconsert! Have a happy weekend ;:=D)

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  24. The cranes look really elegant.Being there must have been interesting......love the reflections on water, looks like an opening to another dimension!
    Thanks again for hosting and sharing.

    Happy weekend Eileen!
    Ruby

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  25. Good morning Eileen, nature is always a great place to have a party, that's so true, and these cranes look to be having their own special gathering! Sorry to hear the sad news about your friend. Take good care!

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  26. Hari OM
    Love the warbling whoops... elegant birds! have a super weekend! YAM xx

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  27. sweet crane sighting! happy saturday, eileen!

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  28. Fantastic photos and video ! Thanks for sharing , have a good weekend !

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  29. Good morning Eileen, I was very saddened by the loss of Sally Smile. The storks are very beautiful as well as the deer. I apreciate so much the film flight of the storks. The nature is very beautiful and we always find something wonderful. Hugs and good weekend an week.

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  30. Love seeing the Sandhill Cranes . . .
    Great photos . . .
    Like the deer too . . .
    (I had some black squirrel pics to link up today but more snow caught me in a glitch.)
    (Maybe later . . . smile.)
    Thank you for hosting Saturday's Critters each week
    Sorry to hear about Sally's death . . .

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  31. Love the Sandhill cranes! Great photos and video... Looks like you had a wonderful trip, enjoying nature! Hugs!

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  32. I have always liked wildlife. There is something about observing them that gives me peace.

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  33. Beautiful reflection in the third crane photo! At least one of those deer was paying attention!

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  34. Wonderful birds, the Sandhill Cranes!
    I hope to some myself someday.
    Thanks for hosting Saturday's Critters!
    Lea

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  35. WOW! Those cranes are really big!

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  36. You got some great photos. The ones I saw were so high in the sky, it was hard to identify them. It's very sad about the loss of Sally...what a sweet lady. It's been a hard couple of weeks. Hugs, Diane

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  37. I didn't realize the cranes were that tall. Great shots and thanks for sharing and for hosting! Have a super weekend!

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  38. I love the cranes! And I loved Robin Williams too, so much. I've loved all his films, even if they weren't that great because of the way his personality shone through.

    Have a lovely weekend!

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  39. Read your post about your trip to TN. I'm looking forward to the time when we can just get up and go like that. My husband finally joins me in retirement in Nov. I've been retired almost 6 years now.

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  40. It's breathtaking to watch these gangly cranes. They even winter here in the Southwest!

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  41. Such impressive birds, even from a distance! So sad to hear of all the losses this week. Life is so fragile. Hope your weekend is wonder-filled, Eileen!

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  42. I LOVE sandhills. And their babies are sooooo cute.

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  43. I'll bet it was a thrill to see all those cranes!

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  44. Hi Eileen, I enjoyed your visit to the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge. Very neat post and photos. Congrats on another fine Saturday's Critters. Hope you have a happy weekend!

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  45. Thanks for having the link up. Nice photographs!

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  46. Super photos and video of the Sandhill Cranes and those pretty deer. Thanks for hosting Eileen. Have a great weekend.

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  47. i enjoyed the sound of the cranes.. love the deer and sorry to hear about Smiling Sally even though i did not know her. so many beautiful critters are linked up today

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  48. great shots Eileen...I'll be here next week

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  49. Love seeing the Wildlife Refuge and wonderful photography of all the critters ~

    Happy Weekend to you ~ ^_^

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  50. Lovely views of these special birds. Hope you are having a grand weekend.

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  51. The Sandhill Cranes are awesome. So what if you didn't have a super tele-photo - your photos are still awesome.
    One day, I hope the lens technology gets so advanced that you can compress the telephoto to about 1/2" in thickness :)

    Thank you for hosting, Eileen, and y'all have a great weekend.
    Peace :)

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  52. Hi Y'all!

    Those are such beautiful birds.

    Hiwassee is a great area. There was, and may still be, a train that tour that leaves Etowah and follows the river through the Cherokee National Forest and one that makes a loop through the Hiwassee River Gorge. The windows don't allow for clear photos, but the trips are still well worth it.

    BrownDog's Human

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  53. Sad news about Smiling Sally. I like and agree with "If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere". Have a beautiful weekend, Eileen!

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  54. Loved seeing the sandhill cranes...and hearing them! How sad that Sally is also gone. I participated in Blue Monday for a while. So much bad news in our blogger world this week!

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  55. The picture with the reflection is my favorite.

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  56. you do find the most fabulous nature spots!!! i tried to follow to link to sally (i do not follow her) but it did not work. perhaps someone removed her blog!!!!

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  57. Oh yes, excellent images of the Sandhill Cranes, cheers Eileen.

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  58. It is hard to imagine a bird that big flying so well!

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  59. Enjoyed, thank you for everything

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  60. Thanks for sharing this weekend, at I'd Rather B Birdin' Eileen. All of us, the birders within us, appreciate you taking time to add your link!!

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  61. I love these Sandhill Cranes...love to hear them almost as much as see them.

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  62. The Cranes are very elegant, beautiful birds..Have a wonderful weekend..

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  63. Sad to hear about Sally. I didn't know sandhill cranes were so tall! Neat birds!

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  64. hey Eileen, hope youve had a lovely weekend so far, hopefully things are thawing out for you here just as we're getting cooler days and nights here - total bliss :-)

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  65. The Sandhill cranes looks so big and noble.

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  66. Hello Eileen
    It is wonderful to have a place nearby were to observe cranes.
    It is usually chosen by the birds because it is quiet, so one can many more animal species.
    Lovely post :)
    Keep well, best wishes!

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  67. Would have been wonderful to see those cranes Eileen. I can only wonder at how it gets off the ground, but then again the same is said of planes.

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  68. These cranes are looking so elegant ! Love the deer too !

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  69. Great selection of "critters" once again, Eileen. Beautiful shots.
    Many thanks for hosting. Enjoy your week.

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  70. I am hoping to go for a walk at our nearby Audubon today. Hopefully, I will see some wildlife. I saw a picture of cranes on the Audubon Facebook page. The caption said they were migrating or over wintered here. I haven't seen a crane here before.

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  71. You know how much I love Sandhill Cranes! And to see so many flying over (and to hear them) is a small miracle. Thank you so much for hosting and for your kind and encouraging comments.

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  72. Beautiful shots! Thanks for hosting, Eileen.

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  73. "I'll keep an eye on that lady with the camera, you all keep eating."

    - That one White-tailed deer at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge
    ~

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  74. Of all the birds I've seen I think Sandhill Cranes are my favorites. I love how they walk - their song - their flight. We saw flocks and flocks of them in Wisconsin in 2012. They have multiplied so fast that they seem to be taking over - but I certainly enjoyed seeing so many flocks. Great photos - and the deer are wonderful.

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  75. beautiful! the cranes are magnificent but i love those deer!!

    great shots as usual.

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  76. Such a big group of cranes, Eileen! Thanks for sharing all the photos. I usually only see 1-3 deer at a time in my yard, probably will see more soon as the grass gets longer.

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  77. Fab photos, Eileen! I must get out of the kitchen once in a while and take photos of something besides food. Love the Jimi Hendrix quote!

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  78. Here's one more Wow! from me for your amazing captures of these beautiful creatures. I love watching your collections of natural treasures.

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  79. Party indeed, Eileen! Your sightings of all the cranes must have been breathtaking!!!...:)JP

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  80. Hello Eileen!
    Sorry to be late for comments!
    I was the weekend with my family in Belgium!
    The cranes are beautiful, and the deer so sweet!
    Great shots as always!
    Have a lovely week!
    Dimi...

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  81. Hi Eileen,
    wonderful photos of the birds and a gorgeous shot of the deer. Amazing !
    Best regards, Synnöve

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  82. Great to see the cranes.
    I had this week no link for the critters but I do enjoy a number of other links :-)
    Greetings, Helma

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  83. Great images of the cranes. The deer are pretty too.

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  84. Amazing captures!... With so many details!...
    Another splendid sequence!
    All the best!
    Ana

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Hello, thank you for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.

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Have a happy day, Eileen

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