Sandhill Cranes in March Gallery

Stopover in the Platte River Vallery of the Sandhill Cranes

Sweet Sky & Cranes
The Sandhills fly in ribbons of wings.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes flight river river_roost sanctuary sunset waterfowl wildlife untitled1062 Antigone_canadensis
Heading for the River Roost
I purposely slowed the shutter to catch the cranes' movement.
1209 Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds blue cranes flight river_roost waterfowl wildlife Antigone_canadensis
Sunset on the Platte
Sunset with lyrical ribbons of cranes over the Platte River in Kearney, Nebraska.
0854 Kearney Nebraska Platte_River Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost sunset waterfowl wildlife Antigone_canadensis
Painted Sky with Cranes
The cranes swing up matching what looks like a brush stroked sky.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds blue cranes river river_roost sanctuary waterfowl wildlife untitled1259 Antigone_canadensis
Cranes in a Line
Cranes migrate in a "V". otherwise they are in a herd. This time I caught them in a line.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds blue cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled1509 Antigone_canadensis
A Sky Filled with Cranes
An awe-inspiring sunset filled with thousands of cranes heading for the Platte.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes purple river_roost sunset waterfowl wildlife untitled1572 Antigone_canadensis
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.
1635 Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds blue cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife Antigone_canadensis
Breakfast!
All at once they are off!
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds blue cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled1667 Antigone_canadensis
Empty River Bank
Just seconds before the river bank was filled with cranes, now they are a cloud disappearing over the horizon.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds blue cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled1935 Antigone_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.
1651 Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife Antigone_canadensis
Flecks of Gold
Cranes feeding in a farm field, the low angle of the sun reflects gold on their underparts.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife Antigone_canadensis
Dawn and Down
Crane down adheres to every bush and is backlit with dawn light
3315 Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife Antigone_canadensis
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.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds blue cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled3388 Antigone_canadensis
Dusk and Cranes
Sandhill Cranes over leafless March trees on the Platte River.
3578 Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife Antigone_canadensis
Coming in for a Landing
For all of their grace and grandeur they make a comical picture when landing.
3321 Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife Antigone_canadensis
Sunrise and Sandhill Cranes
A truly golden dawn illuminates the cranes and grasses along the Platte River.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled5739 Antigone_canadensis
Golden Flock of Sandhill Cranes
Winging and wheeling cranes in the early morning.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled4563 Antigone_canadensis
Sandhill Cranes Fly Up
At first light a huge wheeling cloud of Cranes leaves the river.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled4030 Antigone_canadensis
Sandhill Cranes in Early Light
Crane bellies and wing undersurfaces reflect the light of the morning sun.
4555 Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife Antigone_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.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds blue cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled4731 Antigone_canadensis
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.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled55339 Antigone_canadensis
A Herd of Cranes
Cranes flying in a flock are called a "herd".
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled55393 Antigone_canadensis
Cranes and Agricultural Land
An hour before sunset the cranes start to head back to the river.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled53762 Antigone_canadensis
Crane Communication
Cranes communicate a great deal. This is probably a squabble over standing rights.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds communication cranes river_roost squabble waterfowl wildlife untitled55566 Antigone_canadensis
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.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost running take_off waterfowl wildlife untitled55597 Antigone_canadensis
Surprise Twilight Sky
The afternoon sky was a dusty blue. At twilight it lit up orange and purple with silhouettes of wheeling cranes.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes orange purple river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled55748 Antigone_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.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes Sandhills bird birds crane cranes lesser_sandhill_crane migration river sanctuary Antigone_canadensis
Predawn
Just light enough to see individual cranes on the sandbank. ON the left is a single crane, dancing.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled10033 Antigone_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.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled10120 Antigone_canadensis
Purple Dawn
A feathered rush for the new day.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds blur cranes dawn movement purple river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled10598 Antigone_canadensis
Good Morning
Another blue sky morning as the birds head for the fields.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds blue cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled10330 Antigone_canadensis
Relaxed
This was as close as my lens would allow me to get. They appear totally unconcerned with regard to our presence.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled10442 Antigone_canadensis
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.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled2 Antigone_canadensis
Fly By
It was very exciting to see birds this large, fly by, right at eye level.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled10476 Antigone_canadensis
Uh Oh
Somebody caught on and they rush to leave.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled10451 Antigone_canadensis
Farewell my Lovelies
As they flew away I could only think of how much I wanted to come back next year.
Kearney Nebraska Platte Platte_River Rowe Rowe_Sanctuary Sandhill Sandhill_Cranes birds cranes river_roost waterfowl wildlife untitled10482 Antigone_canadensis

Powered by SmugMug