"Jurassic" Park

Before I begin to tell you about our harrowing adventure I'd just like to say Happy Birthday Mikey!

Now on with the tale...

For months Rich and I have been trying to find a park where we could be one with nature, some place to stretch our legs and breath in some wholesome air, or something like that. We always take trips around where we live, slowly taking a wider circumference, exploring everything around us.

So one evening a few weeks ago we found what seemed to be a perfect area. A park a few miles from where we live, and it included a lovely view of farmlands and hills drenched in the velvet indigo light of sunset. We didn't venture into the park that time since it was late and we didn't want to be wandering around a park at dark. Then perhaps a week ago we decided to go back again and just as we approached the park a downpour came suddenly and we had to turn around with promises to come back at another time. That should have been a foreshadowing.

Today, on my day off, we decided to go park hunting, heading over to another park that Rich wanted to view. When we got there we found that it was just a big ol' soccer field and nothing more so I steered the car in the direction of our previous park. When we got there we had to pay a fee to get in and I didn't mind since it looked quiet, shaded, and flanked on either side by two lakes. There didn't seem to be too many people and that was fine with us. I took the car for a once over to decide where we should park and I found a spot that was close to the water and a few paces down was a grove of trees that housed a picnic table. That was the perfect spot to eat the lunch that I packed for us.

We walked on a pine needle strewn path toward the grove of trees and picnic table. To our right was one of the lakes and just before that was white sand that hosted a volleyball court. We sat at the table and I took out our sandwiches and we ate them, looking at everything around us. Then we heard this loud noise. I looked over at Rich and he wondered aloud whether it was construction or some sort of animal. I thought it was the group of people further to our left who were launching off in their inflatable motorized boat. We thought no more of it and continued to eat our sandwiches.

"Oh my god!" I said. Rich looked toward where I was pointing. Coming toward us determinedly were two massive birds about twenty feet away from us. When I say "massive" I meant that they were about 4 feet tall, walking on long, bird-stick legs.

They must have smelled our food.



"Whoa, they're cute huh?" I asked as they made their way ever closer toward us.

They stood across the table from us and I could hear them making a purring noise. Of course I think things that purr are cute, but then I noticed their somewhat pointy beaks and how they almost towered over us as we sat at the table. I also noticed how they were suddenly coming closer, with hungry intent in their eyes. Rich then told me to get up from the table and to make our way around it, playing an unenjoyable game of ring around the rosie. But they were too smart to play such a game.

"Where's the other one, Rich?" I asked, my voice quavering.

That was when I realized it was trying to get at us from under the table. But luckily it seemed unable to go that way and we continued with our game of going around the table as they stilt-stepped toward us. Then I realized that while one was chasing us in one direction the other had stopped completely in time for the two of us to walk right into it. I passed Rich the food so that I could take pictures and he made his way away from the table and I took pictures while they followed Rich. He had made his way to a grill and I was taking a quick video of them when the closest one let out a hair-raising call. That was when we decided to head toward the car.

"Slowly. You never know. They may have a chase instinct," Rich called out to me.

So we walked slowly, apart, through the grove of trees, in what seemed an endless march toward an elusive destination. I look over and realize that it's caught up with me. But Rich distracts them and they head over to him.

"One of us has to open the car door," Rich says, and he hands me the food, to distract them, and they begin to follow me while he sprints over to the car to open the door. Thanks. So then I'm trying not to run but I could feel them just a few feet behind me. I could hear their steps on the pine needles and I could also hear my heart pounding in my chest.

"You need to slow down, they're speeding up!" Rich yells over to me.
"They're slowing down now. Head over to the car."

So I walk to the car, taking the long way around to the driver's seat so that it gave Rich and I just enough time to get in while they made their way up into the pavement and right beside the car.



They peered into the car, the pair of them. Watching as Rich and I breathed a sigh of relief. Rich decided it would be a good idea to open the window for a good shot of the bird with the camera and I closed it just in time because the bird had tucked it's head and was about to lunged into the car.

I decided to move the car to a different location so we could eat in peace. When I parked at another spot two other birds headed over towards us. They stood beside our car and they looked at us through the window, patiently and Rich and I discussed how birds are related to dinosaurs. They watched us through the window with their orange eyes, and we felt helpless and afraid.



We decided that that was the last time at that park and headed home, but a few miles away from the park I had to slam on the brakes because there was another one crossing the road before us. I think they've followed us home...


Me.

P.S. I looked them up online and found that they were "sandhill cranes". If you'd like to hear their purring sound go here and click on "contact call".