Sandhill Crane and wildflowers – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I photographed Northern Harriers, Song Sparrows, Black-crowned Night Herons, Great Blue Herons, Red-winged Blackbirds, Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintails, Cinnamon Teals, Green-winged Teals, and flocks of Canada Geese yesterday morning at Farmington Bay WMA. The sky was clear, the sun was shining and although the temps were low early on the day held the promise of being warmer, almost spring-like.
And then I heard the calls of a pair of Sandhill Cranes, the sound I have waited all winter long to hear again. I couldn’t see the cranes right then but I knew that they weren’t too far away. The first Sandhill Cranes I spotted this year I saw three days ago near the Visitor Center of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. That pair of cranes were in flight but they weren’t calling.
When I stopped to photograph some immature Black-crowned Night Herons yesterday morning I heard the calls of the Sandhill Cranes again and off in the distance I spotted the two cranes in flight. I took a few crappy documentary images of them but the pair didn’t fly in close enough for decent photos.
Since I couldn’t get any high quality images of the pair of Sandhills Cranes I saw yesterday I decided I wanted to share this photo of a Sandhill Crane I took in June of 2015 in the Centennial Valley of southwestern Montana because the wet meadow and wildflowers are so green. Springy.
I was delighted to hear the Sandhill Cranes calling yesterday. Their bugling calls touch me and remind me that I am every bit a part of nature as the cranes are.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Sandhill Crane photos plus facts and information about this species.
Great shot with a very interesting narrative. Thanks Mia.
There is certainly magic in the calls of a flock of cranes. Having moved away from NE Illinois to south Florida, this is one of the experiences that I really miss.
Fabulous shot of a beautiful bird! 🙂
Lovely photo, they are exciting to watch.
Lovely,, lovely tihngs. And thank you for your final sentence. I needed that reminder.
Standing in my driveway yesterday, I heard them first and then looked “way up” to see to Sandhill Crances flying over on their spring journey. As the snows are not deep at this time here, they will find a resting place for sure. We are in Lower Michigan (Grand Rapids) and it is a good sign of the approaching change of seasons. In the tundra village in Alaska I lived, the students would bolt for the door when the first sounds of the Cranes were heard. The Yup’ik name for them is ‘qut-raak’ imitating their recognizeable call.
Yippee! Spring is coming.
Lovely
Amazing birds … so wonderful you heard them calling! The Platte River NE evening fly in is one of the most spectacular sights ever!