We have a pair of sandhill cranes that have a nest near the lake behind our house. Where you see one bird, the other is always close by. They strut around the neighborhood, and when they return from a journey, they always announce themselves as they swoop in.   I love their quirky, rusty squawks. It’s such a strange mournful (and loud) cry,  I’m always compelled to get up and look out the window when I hear them.

 

Something about them tickles me.

 

According to Wikipedia: “Mated pairs of cranes engage in “unison calling.” The cranes stand close together, calling in a synchronized and complex duet. The female makes two calls for every single call of the male.”

 

Imagine that. I guess some things are universal no matter the species.

 

We named the birds Wacky and Nunu after a ridiculous local appliance store commercial where this guy jumps around and says, “If you didn’t buy from us, you paid too much! And that’s wacky-nunu!” I have no idea what  the literal translation of wacky-nunu is, but our daughter and her friends found it hilarious, and we ended up naming the sandhills accordingly.  That was five years ago. Since then, Wacky and Nunu have become members of our family – well, more like distant cousins, but we adore them nonetheless.

 

Before they built their nest, they used to come and go, sometimes disappearing for months at a time. But about a year ago, Wacky and Nunu decided to settle down. They built their lake-side nest in our backyard and started their family.  Just the other day, I got my first look at their baby. She was out walking around (it seems Wacky and Nunu aren’t very good parents and frequently leave her alone while they gallivant). I was so excited to get a look at the baby, I took a picture of
her and immediately texted it our daughter (who is away at school). I meant to say, “Look, it’s Wacky and Nunu’s baby!” Somehow my phone autocorrected to, “Look, it’s Wacky and Nunu’s Judy!” So, yes, you guessed it. We named the baby Judy. Wacky, Nunu and Judy are a happy family. I’m so glad they decided to settle in our backyard.

 

Do you have any strange obsessions? If not, what tickles your funny bone? I’m giving away a $10 Amason.com or Barnes & Noble gift card (winner’s choice) to one person who posts.