Blog Archives
Day Five Nature Challenge
Dear Friends, I initially thought that this image would show a comparison between the adult crane and a first-year juvenile, but it also illustrates the ruffed feathers versus the smooth appearance. The ruffed look is usually seen after preening during the fall molt of feathers. til Tomorrow MJ
Day Four Nature Challenge
Dear Friends, the Sandhill Cranes of Crex Meadows have always been one of my favorite subjects, every fall thousands of cranes gather here and fly into a roost site at sunset. This iconic image is one of my all time favorites. til Tomorrow MJ
Teaching the Dance
Dear Friends, this image is a composite of two images, but typical of dancing cranes, i love it when they dance in the fall, you can see in the top bird a small piece of corn in the beak being offered to the ground bird, sometimes they will toss a small piece of ground clutter into the air as they jump, i don’t have that image yet which is why i keep trying, a fascinating ritual, sometimes the youngsters will imitate the adults, so teaching the dance til Tomorrow MJ
Crane Dance
Dear Friends, these cranes are jumping for joy or are they jumping to stay warm, either way, they appear happy, on a sunny morning in the corn field with light shining through their wing feathers. Are you jumping for joy this morning? I haven’t had enough coffee yet. Soon til Tomorrow MJ
My Best Dancing Cranes
Dear Friends, this is my best dancing cranes from this year, the fluffed up feathers make this image unique, this is a staring match , and the first bird to blink, well, that is my take, til Tomorrow MJ
The Essence
Dear Friends, the essence of fall in our part of the world is summarized in this image, the trees are brilliant with color, the corn is harvested and the cranes are flying everywhere. Soon the ground will be white, the cranes will be gone and the trees will be bare, i do not like the winter, but will put up with it, bah humbug, til Tomorrow MJ
Crane Lunch
Dear Friends, i always think of our Sandhill Cranes as gentle giants roaming the wetlands in search of food. I never thought of baby Red Winged Blackbirds as a food source. These young cranes were being harassed by the adult Red Wings as the cranes plucked the babies from the nest. The male red wing bird is definitely in attack mode but the sandhill has his lunch. Red wings are not in short supply here and predation is common as they nest on the ground. til tomorrow MJ
Wingspans
Dear Friends, these Sandhill Cranes have left our country and we are ice-locked with a snow covering. I want to go south too, but alas, i am grounded, til Tomorrow MJ
Puttin on the Brakes
Dear Friends, these cranes are cruising into their roosting site with a sunset reflection as thee background, i like the pastel shades in the clouds and so chose to keep the image high key, before they land they have to slow and they do that by standing up in the air and dropping their feet down, they resemble little parachutes coming down, the right hand bird is still in glide mode, til Tomorrow MJ
Dear Friends, with the coming storm clouds these cranes are migrating to a more hospitable locale, wish i was going along for the ride, i will miss them and they are all gone. This is a two image composite of two images shot on the same evening and lit by the sunset. Do you like?? til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 