One Morning with a Sandhill Crane - I

Luck plays a big part in bird photography. Every time I visit Bear River MBR, I hope for a pinch of luck to make the trip worthwhile—whether that means spotting a bird I've never seen before, or catching another glimpse of a Short-eared Owl.

Seeing a Sandhill Crane and following it into the marsh felt like a dream come true.

Taking a moment to preen, a Sandhill Crane gets ready for his close-up.

Generally, life is good.

Notes to Self. More on Sandhill Cranes

I am currently in the midst of a "crane phase" and continue to explore an interesting field that a pair of Sandhill Cranes has claimed as their territory.

Tomorrow we’re expecting snow and rain.

Sandhill cranes will not hide in thick bushes or under the trees during rain or snow. Because they rely on their eyesight to spot predators like coyotes or foxes, they prefer to stay in open wetlands or shallow ponds.

Even in snow, they typically spend the night standing in shallow water facing into the wind to keep their feathers smooth and tucking their heads into their back feathers to conserve heat.

Generally, life is good.

Notes to Self. Beyond the Blackbird Pond

Leaving behind the pond with the curious name "Blackbird Pond", I went to explore this area further and soon the trail lead me to a small winding river where to my surprise I saw a pair of Sandhill Cranes.

Watching them, I got the sense that this wasn't a chance encounter; they moved with the quiet confidence of owners surveying their own territory. 

Now, I can’t help but wonder if they’ll remain as the seasons shift—whether they will still claim this stretch of water once the summer heat takes hold and the river begins to run thin.

Generally, life is good.

 

An Unexpected Drama - II.

It's difficult to say exactly how long the siege of the pair of Sandhill Cranes lasted. Looking back, I had a strange feeling that the entire event stretched on for an unusually long time.

The American avocets' aggression steadily intensified. They grew increasingly frustrated by their inability to dislodge the two impudent cranes from their territory.

Despite the cranes' actions, the Avocets were relentless.

I was struck by the cranes' remarkable resilience; their behavior seemed to declare that they would continue foraging and leave "their" field only when they deemed it necessary.

Generally, life is good.

An Unexpected Drama - I.

 

My favorite pair of Sandhill cranes graced this field each dawn, their peaceful routine undisturbed by any intrusion. 

This morning, however, an unexpected drama unfolded. 

For reasons unknown, cranes were besieged by a boisterous flock of American avocets, whose behavior was surprisingly aggressive as they attempted to drive the cranes away.

Over the past years, the avocets had never contested this territory. Perhaps a new generation of these birds had decided to assert their dominance. 

Far from being intimidated, the large cranes appeared merely surprised and increasingly annoyed by the Avocets' behavior. Sandhill Cranes had no intention of leaving their territory.

to be continued

Generally, life is good.

Sandhill Cranes

 

Every time I am in the Bear River MBR I am thinking about these amazing birds and always try to imagine our meeting.

I was lucky this morning to see a pair of Cranes foraging together. It was a very short meeting, only a few minutes, but I had a chance to capture the beauty and elegance of these birds and that was great.

I think this pair has a nest with eggs or young flightless chicks nearby but not completely sure.

Life goes on.

Sandhill Cranes in December?

At first, I heard the voices of Sand Hill Cranes and thought that this is my imagination playing a joke on me. Then I saw a flock of cranes high in the sky, and my first thought was, why do the Cranes cross Northern Utah late in December?

No doubt, Cranes were migrating south from their Northern breeding grounds.  Apparently, their migration has been delayed for some reason.

Life goes on.

Sandhill Crane at Bear River MBR

Seeing Sand Hill Cranes on the Bear River during summer is a rarity. On that August morning there were two of them. One of them kept a distance while the other was rather brave and got closer.

Looking at this photo now, I think that the Crane was a female.  She was very feminine and elegant.  Although it is possible that I am wrong.

Life goes on.

Notes to Self. Life Does Go On

" No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on..."

Maya Angelou 

I photographed these Sandhill Cranes one year ago in July at Bear River MBR.

Life goes on...  

Shall We Dance ?

It happens. Sometimes a male Sandhill Crane is willing to perform a courtship dance but a female isn't in a mood.  

On the photo above the male Crane started his invitation to dance with spreading his wings wide open and standing on one leg but the female wasn't very impressed.

The male chose a different approach showing how gentle he is, how humble but the female completely ignored his trick.

What would happen if I perform a bow?  Will she be willing to go into dance with me?

No, this trick didn't work also.  

It's my last chance, my last wings flap and elegant stretch. Maybe, my chosen one will be willing perform with me a courtship dance?

***

I admired the male's perseverance and his graceful invitation to dance but unfortunately, the female remained indifferent to the male's attempts to draw her into the dance.  This morning she was not in the mood to participate in the mating dance.

Generally, life is good!