chicks!

It has been an exciting few days here. Last Monday our first whooping crane chick hatched. I didn't see him until yesterday - boy is he cute! Every year they chose a theme for whooping crane chick names and this year it is vegetables. The first chick is named Rutabaga. We have to be in crane costumes whenever whooping crane chicks can see us. I fed Rutabaga yesterday - he is doing really well, eating and drinking on his own, not needing much encouragement. I also took Rutabaga outside in the chick yard for some exercise yesterday. He followed me around as he walked, ran, and tripped. He went in the pond with me and swam for a minute, which was adorable. I fed him dandelion roots out in the yard, and he enjoyed pecking at dandelion tops. I wasn't able to get any pictures yesterday but some other interns have gotten a couple and I hopefully will soon. It is hard because we cannot let the chicks see the camera. Two nights ago two more whooping crane chicks hatched. The first out of those to hatch is named Fiddle Head. The second will be named tomorrow - we had to help him hatch because he was having trouble, and any time there is an assisted hatch we wait a couple days to name them just in case they don't make it.
I have been hanging out with girls from work . . . going hiking and birding, seeing movies, etc. This coming Monday I am planning on going bird banding with two girls from work. It is about an hour away and I believe they focus on warbler banding, so it should be pretty cool.