Tag Archives: migratory

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

Sharing the Sky

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Sharing the Sky
Three sandhill cranes share the Central Valley sky with a few geese.

Sharing the Sky. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Three sandhill cranes share the Central Valley sky with a few geese.

During the first part of March, the migratory birds that call the Central Valley home during the winter seem to become restless. At this time of the year I think back to my first late-autumn visits to the birds and recall how it was sometimes hard to find them at all back then, and when I did they were frequently in small groups and at times in places that were not accessible to me. But by the end of their annual residency, they become much more active and appear in greater numbers.

It seems to me that the different kinds of large birds interact with other species much more late in the season. In the early season I might find cranes in one place and geese in an entirely different sort of location. By late winter they often appear together, and mixed groups are often seen in the air and on the ground. In this photograph you can see three varieties of migratory birds — the large sandhill cranes in the middle, a couple of white-fronted geese below, and a group of white snow geese above.

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

Edge of the Flock

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Edge of the Flock
A large flock of migratory snow geese in a pond in California’s Central Valley.

Edge of the Flock. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A large flock of migratory snow geese in a pond in California’s Central Valley.

The conditions must be just right, you must arrive at the correct time, persistence is necessary, and a bit of luck is important. If all of this works out you may encounter stunningly large flocks of over-wintering migratory geese covering the landscape in parts of the Central Valley of California. If you are extra lucky and extra persistent one of the flocks may settle in right next to you.

I don’t know how many birds were in this flock, but it stretched across this large pond and over a great distance from side to side. The visual impact is obvious, but unless you are there you miss out on the sonic effect. The flock produces a constant audio drone, with sudden crescendos when a threat appears — and with that threat all of the birds’ heads rise straight up on their long necks until it passes.

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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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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

Three Cranes, Winter Sky

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Three Cranes, Winter Sky
Three lesser sandhill cranes against winter blue sky, Central Valley.

Three Cranes, Winter Sky. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Three lesser sandhill cranes against winter blue sky, Central Valley.

This is another “just plain birds” photograph, in this case of a small group of lesser sandhill cranes that flew past my position in mid-morning light on a late-winter day near the end of the migratory bird season at this location. I often try to photograph the birds in some context, whether it is against the landscape of the Great Central Valley or a dramatic winter sky or in tule fog. But sometimes I just go ahead and make a straightforward, no-apologies photograph of birds. Like this one.

At one point some years ago I realized that cranes would often follow the flight paths of other cranes that had just passed by. It occurred to me that instead of waiting for the birds to come to me, I could just move to one of these spots, then sit and wait for them to fly over. I quickly learned that cranes do not like flying over humans. They may begin on a trajectory headed straight for you, but they will almost always divert and curve around. (The direct oversight is so rare that it always surprises me when it does happen.) This trio deflected later than most and flew past quite closely.

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.

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

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

Walking Cranes

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Walking Cranes
A flock of sandhill cranes crosses a rural roadway in Central Valley pasture land.

Walking Cranes. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A flock of sandhill cranes crosses a rural roadway in Central Valley pasture land.

Why did the crane cross the road? In some of my recent posts I have written about how the behavior of geese and cranes seems to change as the time for them to fly back to the north approaches. From what I have seen, the birds become increasingly active — I’m tempted to use the word “restless” to describe it. They appear in larger flocks, and they assembly in different and more predictable places. They seem to be active at all hours of the day, there are frequent “lift offs” by thousands of them, and the cranes and various kinds of geese often seem to intermix.

It also seems like they become a bit less hesitant about being where humans are. You still can’t (and should not) get too close to them, but they start to show up alongside roads and paths and in ponds very close to such places. It isn’t at all uncommon to arrive in places along gravel roads… and find that the flocks are stretched right across the roadway. I often end up stopping to wait for them to finish their business or else approaching very slowly, giving them time to slowly move out of the way. I stopped to let this group of cranes finish its activities — I was in no hurry, and it gave me a chance to photograph them.

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.

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