Sandhill Cranes - dancing displays

 

Beside having great fun to paddle the Upper Iowa River last weekend another area drew our attention Saturday evening. Cardinal Marsh State Wildlife Area in Winneshiek County was not very far away from our campsite. I read about some interesting bird sightings there recently and wanted to find and explore it while we visited the area.

We saw geese, herons, several shore birds, and probably a vireo, most of them far away, and we didn’t have enough time before sunset to make a halfway decent approach to get closer. The marsh with its ponds and meadows is definitely a place I like to revisit with more time on-hand.

It was a great delight for us to discover a couple of Sandhill Cranes and I got totally excited when they started to perform one of their their dancing displays, which lasts about thirty seconds. Here is what I found about it on the website of the National Wildlife Federation:

>> Sandhill cranes mate for life. When they form a pair bond, it can last for years until one of the cranes dies. After a mate passes away, the surviving crane will seek out a new mate. In the early spring, as sandhill cranes are migrating to their breeding grounds, single cranes will start pairing up. A sandhill crane pair performs unison calling to create a bond. When the pair reaches the northern breeding grounds, they mate and build a nest. During mating, sandhill cranes perform dancing displays. Although the dancing is most common in the breeding season, the cranes can dance all year long. Sometimes the dance involves wing flapping, bowing, jumps and simply playing around. They might also throw a stick or some plants into the air. <<

Many of us have probably seen this ritual on TV sometime, but seeing it in real time was a very emotional moment for us. Technically seen, today’s photos are far from even my “amateur standards”. Distance and the short time window just before sunset have set the limits to work the subject harder. This is the best a Sigma 50-500 can perform under the circumstances and the photos are even a little bit cropped. It is the story telling of these images in a wonderful soft and warm light why I like to show them anyway. I hope you enjoy!

2013 – Looking back, part 5

 

The key for wildlife photography in my opinion is getting close to your subject. This is quite often easier said than done. If you followed my attempts over the years to get close to some Sandhill Cranes you know what I’m talking about. Yep, I got them, but almost every picture was cropped because these very shy birds like to keep a distance between themselves and the avid photographer. The breakthrough came in 2013, when I used a kayak and a lot of time to approach the cranes in the backwaters of the Mississippi River, not far from home. The cranes that stay here during the summer come back to their resting places for the night usually after sunset. Well, that fits my working schedule pretty good but shooting a 500mm lens from a kayak in low light bares a challenge that isn't that easy to overcome.

The images of wild Sandhill Cranes were an accomplishment that I’m very happy about because they were made from a close distance. I love those birds and you can bet that adrenaline rushed through my veins any time I was able to press the shutter release… (see my posts about the Sandhill Cranes in 2013 by clicking HERE and HERE).

Nature clicks #184 - Sandhill Crane

 

If you follow my blog since a while you probably know that I had to go back to the Mississippi River after I found the place where the Sandhill Cranes are roosting. I had to wait four days because the job that helps to pay the bills sent me to Nebraska last week. It wasn't before Friday night that I was able to put the kayak back in the water again.

It was another wonderful summer night and almost a Dèjá vu when a swoop of cranes landed at the same spot at Mud Lake, in the backwaters of the Mississippi River. This time there were only three birds but it didn't matter to me. I approached them with utmost caution and very slowly and finally the cranes let me close in. I really enjoyed every moment of this encounter.

The cranes were busy cleaning their feathers and still raking for a snack in the shallow water. These images made me push my limits and I'm a little proud to present them. It is the first time that I was able to get so close to a Sandhill Crane that I didn't have to crop the photos more than marginally.

Tonight I went again to the Mud Lake area but ended up with something totally different. I didn't even had to put the kayak into the river... but this is for another post. :-) Thank you for stopping in my blog and thank you to all of you who email me, write a comment here, or encourage me in any other way to do this!!!

River stories, part 4

 

I told you that the best part of my kayak tour on the Mississippi would still lie ahead of me after enjoying the eagle, the water lilies, and the company of the blackbirds. While paddling back to the boat ramp I saw four Sandhill Cranes landing in the water about half a mile ahead of me. This part of the Mud Lake area was already in the shade of the trees but I paddled a little harder, hoping that I would still have some light for a picture. Suddenly two more cranes flew almost over my head and towards the sun. They made a circle and finally landed somewhere between the huge patches of water lilies and arrow heads out of sight for me. Within a second I realized that shooting against the sun would only work if I aim for a silhouette shot of the cranes. I switched quickly to Auto-area Autofocus mode and dialed in -2/3 EV exposure compensation. The sun is a little too bright in this image but not blown out.

After that the light was fading away fast and I rushed to see if I could still get a glimpse of the other four sandhill Cranes. The last hundred yards I slowed down and approached the birds very quietly and carefully. In every photography class you will learn that it needs 1/500s for a halfway sharp image with a 500 mm lens. I was already up at ISO 400, and this is where I draw the line with the Nikon D300s for my wildlife photography. The best shutter speed I was able to get with these settings was 1/125s. Being in a kayak and the cranes not standing still didn't help either. :-o My keeper rate dropped dramatically but a few images turned out sharp enough to be shown here in the blog...

2012 - Looking back, part 3

 

March was a great month for wildlife photography this year. The mild winter with almost no snow on the ground led to an early return of many birds from the South in the Green Island Wetlands along the Mississippi. I spent almost every free minute out there watching the birds and shooting like crazy.

I had several opportunities to see the Sandhill Cranes this spring. This one here has its beak covered with mud from sticking it deep into the ground and searching for food. I still like to be a little closer to the cranes, but what you can't see is a wide water filled trench between me and the Sandhill Crane that prevented this approach. What can I say, spending time with these wonderful birds is always a treat for me and that's why this image made it into my "2012-looking back" series.

Nature clicks #97 - Sandhill Cranes

Nikon D300s, Sigma 50-500mm / f4.5-6.3 APO DG HSM

Yesterday on my way back from Illinois I had a short stopover at the Green Island Wetlands.  The sun was dulled by a thin layer of hazy clouds. Even my slow Sigma 50-500 can deliver in good conditions like that. Nobody was there, I had the whole area for myself. I was already on my way out when I finally got rewarded for my frequent visits and all the time I spent in and around the wildlife refuge lately.

First I saw a solitary Sandhill Crane. There was a water canal between the bird and me but it was the closest I have ever been to a Sandhill Crane. My presence didn't seem to bother the crane and it was searching for food the whole time I was watching.

Nikon D300s, Sigma 50-500mm / f4.5-6.3 APO DG HSM

After the crane moved slowly further away from the water I moved on. I was already happy with this encounter and the great shooting opportunity. But it became even better. A little further down the trail I discovered a pair of Sandhill Cranes. It was probably the same couple I have seen many times before but never really close. This time all things came together, the light was great, the cranes were close enough for some detail, and no driving by car disturbed my lucky moments.

As you can see their bills were covered with mud. Usually they have their heads deep down while searching for food and I saw the bills going all the way into the mud. While one of the cranes is feeding the other one quite often has its head up and observes the surrounding. This was a rare moment when both Sandhill Cranes stood together with their heads up.

Nature clicks #87 - Sandhill Cranes, first sighting this year

Nikon D300s, Sigma 50-500mm / f4.5-6.3 APO DG HSM

Let me tell you, I saved the best from last weekend for the last. I watched the first pair of Sandhill Cranes in the Green Island Wetlands last Sunday. It was so nice to hear their unmistakable calls and to see them searching for food in the wet fields and marches. They maintained a pretty good distance between me and them. There is a water filled canal on each side of the dam I was shooting from that can't be crossed and it is up to the cranes to move closer. It didn't happen, although I spent quite some time there.

One of my photography friends wrote me in an email that he hopes the spring shooting season will start soon. For me it has started with the arrival of the cranes, it doesn't need more than this...

Nature clicks #31 - More from the wetlands

 

I really had a good time again last Saturday in the Green Island Wetlands. The location became familiar during the last couple months and I believe this is key to better images. Not that I think that my photography is top level, it just isn't, but I know that I made some progress.

I found two pairs of Wood Ducks again. I know where to find them now, but they are extremely cautious and fly away as soon I stop my very slow moving car. Someone may wonder why I use the car. The area is wide open and the birds can see you long before you may see them. The car works as a blind and many birds seem to tolerate it. Not so the Wood Ducks! They were hiding in a corn field across the wide water filled trench beside the gravel road. I have a picture of the female duck too but didn't like the quality. Well, another reason to go back and try it again.

I wrote a few days ago how difficult it was to approach Painted Turtles that were basking in the sun on a log in the water. It is a piece of cake when you meet them on land. I just laid down in the dirt and was even able to use the 150/f2.8  ;-)

There is another animal I have tried to put my glass on for a long time and at different locations. I never liked the results, until last Saturday. This Muskrat didn't seem to mind my presence. It was chewing on fresh sprouts of (probably) reed. Later I saw it with a whole bunch in its mouth swimming towards its lodge. Unfortunately my position was a little higher than the water level and there was old grass between the muskrat and me. But I'm still glad I got a set of usable images.

Nature clicks #30 - Green Island Wetlands again

 

Today I actually planned to drive down south to LeClaire, Iowa and try to find White Pelicans at the Mississippi. Well, I never made it. On my way down I stopped in the Green Island Wetlands. Oh boy, there was so much going on that I discarded my original plan and spent all day long in this area again. The Mississippi had its flood peak today and in the wetlands the water was also quite a bit higher than during my earlier visits this year. Many of the surrounding fields were flooded and I was wondering how that would effect the wildlife and the chances to make some good images. Soon after turning of the main road I ran into a couple egrets, a Blue Heron, and two Sandhill Cranes, all in the same spot. It was the closest distance I have been to any of the cranes so far…  more to come!

Nature clicks #19 - Sandhill Cranes and Pied-billed Grebe

Nikon D200, SIGMA 50-500

I knew I wanted to go back to the Green Island Wetlands as soon as possible and try to see "my" Sandhill Crane again. And last Saturday it turned out even better. I discovered two pairs this time. They were searching for food at different places but not far from each other. The distance to them was quite big. Between the dam with the gravel road and the cranes laid a wide trench, filled with water. No chance for getting closer to the birds. In order to get the picture above I had to use the maximum focal length of 500 mm. The picture is even cropped quite a bit. The downside is that the Sigma 50-500 is a little soft at maximum focal length. The sharpness the lens can provide is much better at around 400 mm. Even if I could, I would not cross this natural barrier between the birds and the road. The last thing I want to do is disturbing these beautiful birds. I rather don't get the picture than disturbing an animal, especially close to breeding season.

After several hours of watching the Sandhill Cranes I went south to the little town of Sabula again. I didn't really get any good photo opportunity this time but run into my new friend Dave Updegraff. I know Dave since last year's Worldwide Photowalk event, that he led in the city of Dubuque, Iowa. He was after some Bald Eagles, but because the ice was almost gone they were too far away for an easy picture. We discussed our future photography projects and had of course some gear talk. We will hopefully going out soon together for a wildlife shooting.

Nikon D200, SIGMA 50-500

I went back to Green Island but it was much quieter than in the morning. I saw the cranes again but this time even further away. Finally all four took off together and I enjoyed seeing them in flight.

On my way out I took a few shots of a little Grebe swimming in a trench below the dam. It was a Pied-billed Grebe. This little bird is widespread across North America but it was new for me. After each shot I had to reposition because the grebe dived into the muddy water and showed up at a different location. Lots of fun...