Tag Archives: crane

Photographs: Flight, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Two Sandhill Cranes in Dawn Flight

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Two Sandhill Cranes in Dawn Flight
A pair of lesser sandhill cranes flies toward the rising sun

Two Sandhill Cranes in Dawn Flight. California Central Valley. December 26, 2016. © Copyright 2016 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A pair of lesser sandhill cranes flies toward the rising sun

The first birds that attracted my attention when I began to seriously photograph them in California’s Central Valley were not sandhill cranes, but rather geese. A series of coincidences led me to (finally!) “discover” the great winter bird migration, something I should have known about much earlier, having lived in this state for nearly my entire life. I recall one winter drive up the Valley perhaps 15 years ago when I first saw and was amazed by flocks of geese in dusk light above the Sacramento Valley.

Once I started photographing these birds I soon discovered that there’s a lot more going on than those astonishing huge flocks of geese — many other birds, all of them with different behavior patterns and attractions. It did not take long to discover sandhill cranes, birds that I had read about but not understood all the way back in college. While they can be ungainly on the ground, their pattern of flight is often magnificent and their cries now characterize the audio winter landscape of the Valley for me. This pair had just arisen from its overnight home along a wetland pond and was flying past and toward the dawn sun.

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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Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Sandhill Cranes, Pond, Sunrise

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Sandhill Cranes, Pond, Sunrise
The first light comes to a pond as sandhill cranes begin to take to the air

Sandhill Cranes, Pond, Sunrise. San Joaquin Valley, California. December 26, 2016. © Copyright 2016 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The first light comes to a pond as sandhill cranes begin to take to the air

Morning in these wetlands brings the literal reawakening of life in and above the ponds. I usually arrive before dawn, in the faint light of morning dusk and often in fog, just as the sunrise chorus of birds begins. Some take flight, but many are still settled in. Sandhill cranes often stand in shallow water and on low islands in this far corner along the western edge of this place, and I often begin my day of photography with these birds.

This was mostly a clear morning, with just a bit of general morning haze and here and there small bits of fog. As the pre-sunrise light in the eastern sky increased these cranes became more active, and eventually they began to take off and depart for the day. I made this photograph just as the first sunrise light arrived on the trees along this levee.

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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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Wildlife

Sandhill Cranes, Island, Fog

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Sandhill Cranes, Island, Fog
A group of sandhill cranes stands on a small wetland island on a foggy morning

Sandhill Cranes, Island, Fog. San Joaquin Valley, California. December 3, 2016. © Copyright 2016 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A group of sandhill cranes stands on a small wetland island on a foggy morning

I love the Central Valley tule fog during this part of the year — perhaps not for driving, but when it comes to creating moody and interesting atmosphere, the fog produces. In fact, quite often I’ll check the weather forecast before heading that way during gate late-fall through early spring period, and if the weather looks too nice I won’t go. But if the weather calls for fog, I’m on my way! This visit started out to be an exception to that rule, since the weather forecast did not mention fog at all. But when I checked the current conditions before departing there was an indication that some fog had developed in a few areas.

My drive, 100 miles done entirely in pre-dawn darkness, did not suggest fog… until I left the final town before arriving at my slightly remote location. I immediately encountered a surprise fog bank, and it only got thicker as I turned off the main highway onto narrow country roads. I arrived at my destination in freezing temperatures and light fog which continued to thicken for the next hour. These lesser sandhill cranes were hanging out in a spot where I can reliably find them early in the morning, though they were a pretty good distance off across a network of wetland ponds. This group was assembled on a small island, and they must have been comfortable there, as they were the last group to finally take to the air and fly off.

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.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Cranes in Rain

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Cranes in Rain
A group of sandhill cranes stands in a wetland pond during a rain storm

Cranes in Rain. San Joaquin Valley, California. October 28, 2016. © Copyright 2016 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A group of sandhill cranes stands in a wetland pond during a rain storm

As fall arrives I look forward to many interesting photographic opportunities: the storms and surf along the California coast, the dramatic effects of fog and clouds on the landscape, the return of migratory birds to the state, especially in the Great Central Valley. The bird photographer really doesn’t begin in earnest until perhaps late November or December, with some of the best opportunities coming even a bit later, but that doesn’t stop me from testing the waters earlier if I hear that birds have arrived.

In fact, I had heard reports that sandhill cranes have been showing up in the valley for weeks, and a late-October visit to the Sierra provided me with an opportunity to do a bit of reconnaissance. On my way across the valley to the mountains I paused at a wetland area to see what I could find. It turned out that the main thing I found was rain! It wasn’t raining when I arrived, but soon a front moved through and absolutely poured on me, to the point that I was only able to make a few photographs. One of them was this photograph of a somewhat forlorn group of sandhill cranes, hunkered down in a pond,facing into the wind, and waiting out the storm.

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.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.