Sandhill Crane female portrait – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/6400, ISO 2000, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
While up in the mountains yesterday morning I was thrilled to take a series of female and male Sandhill Crane portraits as they fed in a pasture next to the road. I was in my Jeep using it as a mobile blind when I found the cranes. All I had to do was pull over, cut the engine and start photographing these wonderful, tall birds.
The female Sandhill Crane was a little farther away from the road than the male and in taller grasses.
This pair of cranes were not successful this breeding season because there were no young with them. On my way into the mountains I did see two adult sandhills with three colts that were almost as big as the adults near a water feature.
Note: My high ISO setting was because I had been photographing birds before the sun came over the mountains tops. Because of my excitement at being this close to the cranes I forgot to reset my ISO back to my default of 500.
Sandhill Crane male portrait – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/8000, ISO 2000, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
This portrait shows the male Sandhill Crane. Sandhill Crane males are slightly heavier and taller than the females of this species.
While the head angle of the male crane in this photo isn’t the best I liked how the sunlight seemed to make his orange colored eye glow.
I was both excited and delighted to be this close to this pair of Sandhill Cranes. After taking a few photos I left the cranes to forage for their breakfast and moved down the road.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Sandhill Crane photos plus facts and information about this species.
Absolutely spectacular! Great portraits of a beautiful bird. The colors and detail you captured are incredible. Thanks Mia.
They are so regal. I love the cranes so much. You called the light color feathers stained. How are they stained? Thanks Mia!
Hi Patty! The gray colored body feathers of cranes are the natural color, the reddish ones are stained. The cranes often apply mud to their feathers and in many cases the mud has a high iron content which stains them the reddish color.
Miss you!
Lovely portraits. And how nice to read that some at least have bred successfully this year.
Wonderful images. I hope these are not the pair on the ranch. They did have two offspring this year. They lost one early but I did see one remaining colt about 2 weeks ago.
Once again, you take nice photo’s of birds I don’t see very often, but do see once in a while in my area too. The summer has been to short and hot so did not get out to see the wildlife. Now they are leaving the area!
Superb portraits of this magnificent species! Looking forward to the arrival of fall migrants as they join their Florida cousins.
Hi sweetie! This is wonderful photo’s and the person taking them ! Keep up the great shooting! Have a great day!