In Sierra Valley last week, we saw about a dozen Sandhill Cranes and two active nests. This nest was on a bright green tussock in the middle of a marshy pond. While we watched, she stood up and tended to her egg, rolling in around in the nest before settling back down again. What a delightful thing to witness. Sandhill Cranes have naturally grayish feathers with a red patch on their heads so I was surprised to see this pair with deep rusty coloration in their feathers. At first I thought it was natural breeding plumage but after a bit of research, I discovered that Sandhill Cranes create this color by painting themselves. They preen mud, often containing reddish iron-oxide, into their feathers before breeding season to stain them. It is thought that this behavior camouflages them while they nest in the midst of the brownish vegetation in the marshes. This pair chose a brilliant green part of the marsh in which to build their nest so their camouflage doesn’t really help them but they were sure gorgeous to see.