Two Cranes, Blue Sky

Two Cranes, Blue Sky
Two sandhill cranes in flight against blue winter sky.

Two Cranes, Blue Sky. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Two sandhill cranes in flight against blue winter sky.

Two sandhill cranes fly against late-winter blue sky, a few weeks before their annual migration takes them back to the arctic. My “season” for photographing migratory birds in Central California lasts from roughly November into early March, spanning the time from the first arrival of geese to their departure, along with that of the cranes. This photograph comes from what will likely be my last such photographs of the season.

It is not easy to get photographs of cranes flying nearly overhead. They often change their course as they approach in order to avoid flying over me. But with some luck and abundant patience, eventually some of them will come close enough, as this pair did.


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.

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