{"id":104206,"date":"2022-07-14T04:20:51","date_gmt":"2022-07-14T10:20:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=104206"},"modified":"2022-07-14T04:21:39","modified_gmt":"2022-07-14T10:21:39","slug":"solitary-sandhill-crane-foraging-in-a-pasture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/14\/solitary-sandhill-crane-foraging-in-a-pasture\/","title":{"rendered":"Solitary Sandhill Crane Foraging In A Pasture"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SandhillSandhill Crane foraging in a pasture \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 800, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I took this adult Sandhill Crane photo earlier this week as the crane foraged for food in a grassy horse pasture high up in the Wasatch Mountains. Sandhill Cranes mate for life and their lifespan can be as long as 36 years.<\/p>\n

Earlier in the year there were two adult Sandhill Cranes<\/span><\/a> in this area. They used to call, display, fly past and feed together in their summer mountain home. Then one of them disappeared.<\/p>\n

The story of why this Sandhill Crane is alone now is a mystery. Did the other crane perish? Was it attacked by a predator? Did the other crane leave because the pair didn’t nest successfully?<\/p>\n

I just don’t know. What I do know it has been several weeks since I saw the pair together.<\/p>\n

Because this crane was by itself I admit that I feel for it even when simply looking at this image.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

Because usually I see Sandhill Cranes as mated pairs on their breeding grounds.<\/p>\n

As I observed and photographed this Sandhill Crane I couldn’t help but wonder if it felt alone. Or if it misses the sound of its mate calling.<\/p>\n

I’ll never know.<\/p>\n

As a human I know I miss the sound of the voices of the people I love and care about, both those who are alive and those no longer with us. Their presence whether exciting, comforting or both is missed.<\/p>\n

Maybe some people might see this as much ado about something simple. My thoughts about it is that I am as much as part of nature as this Sandhill Crane is and if I feel what I do maybe the crane does too.<\/p>\n

Just a few thoughts on a Thursday morning. Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Sandhill Crane photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I took this adult Sandhill Crane photo earlier this week as the crane foraged for food in a grassy horse pasture high up in the Wasatch Mountains.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":104203,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,450,1731,26,773],"tags":[4004,4259,3940,3823,3132,4286,4136,3747,4109,6915,4069,5691,4518,7095,2359,2315],"class_list":["post-104206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-sandhill-cranes","category-summit-county-utah","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-adult","tag-antigone-canadensis","tag-canyon","tag-crane","tag-cranes","tag-eating","tag-foraging","tag-grass","tag-grasses","tag-lone","tag-mountains","tag-pasture","tag-sandhill-crane","tag-solitary","tag-stained","tag-summer-3"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t