Sandhill Cranes, Rural Road. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.
A group of sandhill cranes crosses an agricultural road.
Sandhill cranes can be noble birds, but they can also be downright goofy. One of the most impressive experiences I ever had while photographing birds came one evening, as the light was almost too dim to photograph. From the southeast we began to hear the characteristic call of these birds, and a moment later successive flocks of them filled this sky, with thousands of birds passing overhead before landing in nearby ponds. On the other hand, there are few things more gangly-looking than a crane trying to get itself straight for a landing!
I photographed this group at an unusual daytime hour, rather than at my more typical early morning or evening times. The small flock had collected along a levee road next to a pond, and they were mostly just standing around, occasionally shifting positions a bit. It seemed to be a quiet time for them — no flying in or departing, no “crane dance.” After an extremely foggy morning, the atmosphere was still hazy and the light soft.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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