Into The Air. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.
Lesser sandhill cranes rise from a wetland pond into foggy Central Valley winter sky.
Although this isn’t glorious dawn light, it is rather typical of what you’ll find in places like this one on a late-winter morning around sunrise — some combination of fog, a bit of haze, and (on this morning) some high clouds. All of this combines to produce an atmosphere suggesting cold, damp, stillness, and quiet. (Though the cries of a few thousand birds may interfere with the “quiet” part of that.)
As the first light begins, the sandhill cranes are mostly standing in shallow wet areas, presumably for protection from predators. As sunrise approaches they begin to become more active, and gradually small groups begin to take to the sky and fly off to distant locations. Unlike geese, who often take off by the thousands, the cranes tend to depart in groups of two or three, and rarely more than a dozen. The hints of their imminent departure can be subtle, and I often get barely any warning before they take off. Among the birds in this photograph you can spot individuals at almost every stage of departure, from standing and waiting through fully airborne.
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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.
Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email
Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.
Scroll down to leave a comment or question. (Click this post’s title first if you are viewing on the home page.)
All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.
I don’t recall precisely, but I’m pretty sure it was close to but perhaps a degree to two above freezing that morning. It can be a lot colder at this spot, but I don’t recall that I was totally bundled up like I might be a morning when it is below freezing.
Do you remember about what the temperature was? It doesn’t look too too chilly. Also I really like all the different wing positions you were able to capture!
Thanks! Compared to photographing gigantic flocks of geese lifting off en masse, the time I spent watching and photographing these cranes was quite peaceful!
Very nice! Soft and peaceful photo!