{"id":104687,"date":"2022-08-01T04:57:19","date_gmt":"2022-08-01T10:57:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=104687"},"modified":"2025-08-17T13:00:57","modified_gmt":"2025-08-17T18:00:57","slug":"wasatch-mountain-range-sandhill-crane-images","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/08\/01\/wasatch-mountain-range-sandhill-crane-images\/","title":{"rendered":"Wasatch Mountain Range Sandhill Crane Images"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"StainedStained adult Sandhill Crane in the Wasatch Mountains \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday morning I spent ten minutes taking Sandhill Crane images high in the Wasatch Mountain Range after finding a pair of cranes next to an alpine creek. The cranes paid no attention to me sitting in my Jeep because I was above them.<\/p>\n

\"SandhillSandhill Crane foraging on the edge of a creek \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, -0.7 EV, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Both of the mated pair of Sand Hill Cranes were actively foraging in the dark mud and vegetation of the creek.<\/p>\n

I loved the contrast of the stained feathers of the cranes against the vibrant green vegetation. I also liked that I could see a few of the gray unstained feathers on both birds.<\/p>\n

\"AlertAlert adult Sandhill Crane high in the mountains \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, -0.7 EV, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

While I photographed the pair of cranes a noisy diesel truck rumbled past me on the road and that noise did cause this crane to go on alert.<\/p>\n

Note: If you are going to do bird photography using a vehicle as a mobile blind, purchase a quiet running vehicle.<\/p>\n

Also, that stupid dinging noise from an unbuckled seat belt or from not putting the vehicle in park? That positively ruins great opportunities with birds and animals.<\/p>\n

\"CreeksideCreekside Sandhill Crane looking for food \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, -0.7 EV, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The dark silty water of the creek reflected the cranes in a lovely way. Watching these cranes forage and feed felt very relaxing to me.<\/p>\n

\"SandhillSandhill Crane finding food next to a creek \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, -0.7 EV, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

As I photographed the pair of Sandhill Cranes the only thing I felt sad about was that they didn’t have young with them. I’m guessing that their nesting attempt was not successful this year.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Sandhill Crane and bright green sedges \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, -0.7 EV, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I believe that the bright green vegetation that the cranes were foraging in are sedges but I could be wrong. I can’t get down to the creek to verify that they are sedges because the cranes and the creek are on private property.<\/p>\n

\"SandhillSandhill Crane poking around for food \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, -0.7 EV, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The green vegetation was highly appealing to me especially at this time of the year. So much of the vegetation in northern Utah has turned brown from the heat and high temperatures we have had this summer.<\/p>\n

\"SandhillSandhill Crane standing in mud \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, -0.7 EV, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

As I observed and photographed this pair of Sandhill Cranes I noticed how graceful they were when they moved and how they moved with purpose at the same time.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Sandhill Crane changing direction \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, -0.7 EV, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I also noticed that the cranes were careful where they placed their large feet in the dark mud and how their feet sank into it.<\/p>\n

\"SandhillSandhill Crane with an eye on food \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, -0.7 EV, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I enjoyed the time I spent watching and taking images of these beautiful Sandhill Cranes<\/span><\/a> high in the Wasatch Mountain Range. The only problem I had was selecting which of the 256 images I took to share here this morning. I picked these ten photos.<\/p>\n

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":"

Yesterday morning I spent ten minutes taking Sandhill Crane images high in the Wasatch Mountain Range after finding a pair of cranes next to an alpine creek.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":104658,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,450,1731,26,773],"tags":[4004,4540,4259,3940,3823,3132,3843,1130,4136,4069,2213,11747,9626,4518,13099,2359,2315,1732,30,4176],"class_list":["post-104687","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-alert","tag-antigone-canadensis","tag-canyon","tag-crane","tag-cranes","tag-creek","tag-food","tag-foraging","tag-mountains","tag-mud","tag-poking","tag-riparian-habitat","tag-sandhill-crane","tag-sedges","tag-stained","tag-summer-3","tag-summit-county-2","tag-utah-2","tag-wasatch-mountains"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sandhill-crane-stained-adult-mia-mcpherson-9634.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-rev","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":104206,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/14\/solitary-sandhill-crane-foraging-in-a-pasture\/","url_meta":{"origin":104687,"position":0},"title":"Solitary 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McPherson","date":"May 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning while up in the Wasatch Mountains I heard Sandhill Cranes calling repeatedly and when I spotted them I also found a Coyote near the cranes.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Coyote stalking three Sandhill Cranes, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sandhill-cranes-and-coyote-mia-mcpherson-5847.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sandhill-cranes-and-coyote-mia-mcpherson-5847.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sandhill-cranes-and-coyote-mia-mcpherson-5847.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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2025","format":false,"excerpt":"On this day two years ago, April Olson rode with me to the Kamas Valley of Utah, where we photographed a flock of Sandhill Cranes getting ready for fall migration.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Kamas Valley Sandhill Cranes getting ready for migration, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/sandhill-cranes-pre-migration-kamas-mia-mcpherson-8053.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/sandhill-cranes-pre-migration-kamas-mia-mcpherson-8053.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/sandhill-cranes-pre-migration-kamas-mia-mcpherson-8053.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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