Cranes, cranes everywhere (and other birds too) at Joe Overstreet

Joe Overstreet Road near Kenansville in Osceola County is a great place for birding, and it proved that again when I visited on Saturday morning, Feb. 10.

When I was there several weeks ago, I saw a group of about 20 Sandhill Cranes. This time there were 10 times that number. Yes, around 200 cranes! It was amazing to watch them early in the morning as a big group, and then see five to 10 or so fly off in smaller groups.

But the cranes were just part of the birding show.

Meadowlarks were on both sides of the road singing back and forth, Loggerhead Shrikes were poised to pounce, and Red-shouldered Hawks were busy, uh, getting busy and making little hawks.

A regal-looking Bald Eagle kept watch over the whole scene.

And at the end of the road, at Lake Kissimmee, I saw Ring-billed Gulls and Foster’s Terns.