Sandhill Cranes in March Gallery
Sweet Sky & Cranes
The Sandhills fly in ribbons of wings.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesflightriverriver_roostsanctuarysunsetwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled1062Antigone_canadensis
Heading for the River Roost
I purposely slowed the shutter to catch the cranes' movement.
1209KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdsbluecranesflightriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeAntigone_canadensis
Sunset on the Platte
Sunset with lyrical ribbons of cranes over the Platte River in Kearney, Nebraska.
0854KearneyNebraskaPlatte_RiverRowe_SanctuarySandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostsunsetwaterfowlwildlifeAntigone_canadensis
Painted Sky with Cranes
The cranes swing up matching what looks like a brush stroked sky.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdsbluecranesriverriver_roostsanctuarywaterfowlwildlifeuntitled1259Antigone_canadensis
Cranes in a Line
Cranes migrate in a "V". otherwise they are in a herd. This time I caught them in a line.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdsbluecranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled1509Antigone_canadensis
A Sky Filled with Cranes
An awe-inspiring sunset filled with thousands of cranes heading for the Platte.
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Shadows of Flight
Because the crane is a large bird it moves relatively slowly. Slowing down the shutter allowed me to capture the path of their wings.
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Empty River Bank
Just seconds before the river bank was filled with cranes, now they are a cloud disappearing over the horizon.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdsbluecranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled1935Antigone_canadensis
Dawn on the Platte River
In the blue light of dawn the birds start to shuffle up and down the sandbank before take off.
1651KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeAntigone_canadensis
Flecks of Gold
Cranes feeding in a farm field, the low angle of the sun reflects gold on their underparts.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeAntigone_canadensis
Dawn and Down
Crane down adheres to every bush and is backlit with dawn light
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Big Bird
You can see how large the body of a Sandhill is in comparison to her tapering neck. The black flight feathers flip up as she glides.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdsbluecranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled3388Antigone_canadensis
Dusk and Cranes
Sandhill Cranes over leafless March trees on the Platte River.
3578KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeAntigone_canadensis
Coming in for a Landing
For all of their grace and grandeur they make a comical picture when landing.
3321KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeAntigone_canadensis
Sunrise and Sandhill Cranes
A truly golden dawn illuminates the cranes and grasses along the Platte River.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled5739Antigone_canadensis
Golden Flock of Sandhill Cranes
Winging and wheeling cranes in the early morning.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled4563Antigone_canadensis
Sandhill Cranes Fly Up
At first light a huge wheeling cloud of Cranes leaves the river.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled4030Antigone_canadensis
Sandhill Cranes in Early Light
Crane bellies and wing undersurfaces reflect the light of the morning sun.
4555KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeAntigone_canadensis
Blue & Gold
I was struck by combination of blue and gold in this image. Together, these two colors go back to at least the Egyptians and were always used to represent the divine.
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Modern Life
Here is the irrigation that drains the Platte, that grows the corn, that feeds the cattle, that people eat. The cranes are lucky there is so much waste grain left on the ground.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled55339Antigone_canadensis
A Herd of Cranes
Cranes flying in a flock are called a "herd".
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled55393Antigone_canadensis
Cranes and Agricultural Land
An hour before sunset the cranes start to head back to the river.
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Crane Communication
Cranes communicate a great deal. This is probably a squabble over standing rights.
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Take Off
Cranes run forward to take flight. Here their gray feathers beautifully reflect the pink and blue of the sunset. Some of the birds are caught in comical positions prior to the grace of flight.
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Surprise Twilight Sky
The afternoon sky was a dusty blue. At twilight it lit up orange and purple with silhouettes of wheeling cranes.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesorangepurpleriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled55748Antigone_canadensis
Crane Metropolis
As the sun lights up the sky it reveals a crane metropolis. There can be as many at 12,000 birds in a 1/2 mile stretch of the Platte River.
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Predawn
Just light enough to see individual cranes on the sandbank. ON the left is a single crane, dancing.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled10033Antigone_canadensis
Submerged Sandbank
Sandhill Cranes prefer to stand in about 6 inches of water. There is actually a sandbank beneath their feet. A lead or pair of cranes will signal take off for the others.
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Purple Dawn
A feathered rush for the new day.
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Good Morning
Another blue sky morning as the birds head for the fields.
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Relaxed
This was as close as my lens would allow me to get. They appear totally unconcerned with regard to our presence.
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A surprise
One morning the cranes failed to notice we were leaving the blind, so I caught this shot of them feeding right behind us.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled2Antigone_canadensis
Fly By
It was very exciting to see birds this large, fly by, right at eye level.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled10476Antigone_canadensis
Uh Oh
Somebody caught on and they rush to leave.
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Farewell my Lovelies
As they flew away I could only think of how much I wanted to come back next year.
KearneyNebraskaPlattePlatte_RiverRoweRowe_SanctuarySandhillSandhill_Cranesbirdscranesriver_roostwaterfowlwildlifeuntitled10482Antigone_canadensis