Blog Archives
Weekly Photo Challenge:Silhouette
Friends, I know I cheated a little by leaving some details in my silhouettes, but when totally dark against a light background they lose that flying delicate feathery look. These are Greater Sandhill Cranes that are gathered by the thousands on the marshes and corn fields around Crex Meadows. They are feeding and resting for a while before another push to southern climes, the snow will eventually drive them from Wisconsin. They keep me outside, hiking, photographing and waiting for the snow, BAH Humbug, til Tomorrow MJ
On the Meadows
Friends, this morning we are back at Crex Meadows in Northwestern Wisconsin, where the Trumpeter Swans are passing through on the migration. This beautiful bird is preening her feathers and admiring her fine figure in the lake water. A ballerina balanced on one foot, all she needs is a tutu, this week has been a bit gray in the meadow and we are out walking the young dog and mourning the passing of our old dog. The Meadow colors make life a bit more bearable. Below is an image of the grass colors and the pond where thousands of Sandhill Cranes and Mallard ducks are also gathering to help with the harvest of wild rice. til Tomorrow MJ
Sandhill Details
Friends, i am showing a closeup of a greater Sandhill Crane head cause i think they are so beautiful. The Big Blue stem grass makes a great backdrop of their native habitat. Crex Meadows is a gathering place for thousands of cranes as they stop here to feed on wild rice and the farmer’s corn crops. In the evening they land on traditional roosting grounds and in the morning they fly off again for food sites. Their gurgling calls keep us company until the snow flies and the marsh freezes over, then they are off to better weather. Below image is a summer crane who is joining in the festivities. til Tomorrow MJ
The Arrival of Fall
Friends, We had our first hard “Freeze” last night announcing the arrival of fall. This image is a true “fall image” of Crex Meadows, the Greater Sandhill cranes coming in for a landing on the marsh. I think they look like little parachute jumpers coming down to earth. Soon the marsh will be alive with thousands of Cranes calling to each other and all talking at the same time, they are such special birds. Too bad they don’t stay with us all year long, but their arrival makes the fall a busy place for us wildlife photographers. Then with the first snowfall, they are gone. 😦 , leaving me sad and faced with ice and snow for 4-5 months. Below is an image of the color that is invading the Meadow, the sumac is one of the first to change from green summer finery to fall red. Going to Hawk Ridge today to get some more hawk portraits. til Tomorrow MJ
On a Wing and a Prayer
Friends, this pair of Greater Sandhill Cranes were very near the road and i was too close and working too hard for them to tolerate. They are on the wing and fleeing. I love their graceful wings and all their beautiful feathering. The migration has started and soon there will be thousands on the meadows of Crex, calling and dancing til the winter snows start to cool us off. til Tomorrow MJ
Greater Sandhill Cranes
Friends, This Greater Sandhill Crane is tiptoeing through the meadows of Crex in search of food. Their rust colored feathers are being replaced by their more formal gray of winter. When the molting season is here, one can find many feathers along the road and lakes where the cranes are busy pulling out old feathers and growing new ones. The red head and white cheek patch signify that this is an adult bird. Soon they will be flying over every morning from their roost site and every evening into their roost site. They migrate to the Texas Gulf Coast and to Florida, mostly an eastern route thru Jasper-Pulaski National Wildlife Refuge in Northern Indiana. On the way they eat grains, mollusks, and any grasshoppers that might still be roaming about. When they are here at Crex, they often gather in large groups to dance and call, celebrating the raising of the young. They are quite the spectacle until the snow flies, then one day they are gone and we are sad, but we wait patiently (?) until they return in the spring. til Tomorrow MJ
Sandhills-Fall Migration
Friends, this image is to remind me to get ready for the fall migration of Sandhill Cranes. only sixty days and whirlwind activity again in Crex. til Tomorrow MJ
Sunset Landing
Friends, these Sandhill Cranes are landing in the evening on their roosting site in Crex Meadows. Every morning they leave the roost and every evening they return about sunset. As they set their wings for landing, they look like parachutes. Their legs drop and they float on the wind into the sandbar. The sunset is reflected in the clouds and the cranes in silhouette. Hope you like, ti Tomorrow MJ
Cranes on the Full Moon
Friends, this is a double exposure of cranes and the full moon, I have seen this many times, but when photographing i am less than successful. Last fall i did get some images with both the moon and cranes. I will show you them tomorrow, but today i love the cranes landing like little dancers on the wind. While this shot is what i wanted to express, it is somewhat mechanical, lacking the romance of the moment and a little on the sterile side. Someday i will capture what i feel while watching the cranes landing in Crex with the full moon rising and the sun setting all in one moment. til Tomorrow MJ
Weekly Photo Challenge:Indulge
Friends, yes i boosted the saturation a little, but the colors were real. This sunset view was 180 degrees from the actual brilliant red sunset. The storm clouds were reflecting the dying light of evening. I had been frantically photographing the Sandhill cranes flying into their nightly roost by the thousands in Crex Meadows. I sat still for a few moments and looked behind me. Sometimes the reflected beauty is more impressive than the real thing. I indulged in a few quiet moments to watch the sun go down. But even when i am enjoying a little down time, i still couldn’t resist snapping another photo. . til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 