Sandhills Cranes in Bosque

Photographing the Sandhill Cranes taking off and landing is really fun. They glide inbound to their landing zones in such a fashion that we can capture them pretty easily. Click on the thumbnails below to see it in full view.

Sandhill Crane taking off

When they get easy to take off, they lean into the direction they are headed them begin to walk the zoom.

Leaning into the takeoff

Off they go.  At night they reside in shallow pools for protection from predators.  During the day they fly off miles away to feed in fields.  As we were driving along, I clocked some sandhill cranes flying high in the air about 30 miles per hour so they can feed quite distant places.

Late afternoon on one of the  pools (iphone photo, click to enlarge)

So far in the day and a half I have been here, I have shot over 1,500 photos.  Thanks to digital photography it is inexpensive to do so.  Well, inexpensive when you don't count the equipment because I don't have`to buy and process film.  So we shoot away trying to get good shots but, especially when shooting birds in flight, not worrying about how many photos until later on.

My camera set up this morning (iphone)

I am slowly working my way through the photos.  First to eliminate about 85-90% of the pics for one reason or another, then do a second cut, when I usually begin to actually "process photos" which means, adjusting color, exposures, clarity, cropping etc.  So far I have managed to process the following 3 photos for your enjoyment.  I have also shot a few "snapshots" with the iphone here and there to give you a quick flavor of location and environment.  These are labeled as iPhone photos.

Another takeoff

Still fluffed up from night.  thinking about takeoff but not yet ready.

We had a magnificent sunset this evening.  One of the best. I did get some nice photos.  Here are  couple from the iphone. Teaser: Wait til you seen the photo of the geese in front of the moon. (another blog post)

Bosque Sunset (iphone)

Bosque Sunset (iPhone

Much more to come.  Have to get up in the morning at 5:00 AM to make it to the  morning "blast off".