Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Cranes/Wild Birds

 Sandhill cranes

I heard a weird bird sound and instinctively raised my camera to capture what I thought were great blue herons. Imagine my surprise when I realized  their necks did not form the familiar s-curve of GBHs when they fly and also discovered these birds wore red on their foreheads!

 Closeup

Okay, I'm a novice birder so I get excited about such things.  Sandhill cranes are not frequent flyers over central Ontario.

Precision flying - two birds in this photo

I am joining Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

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51 comments:

  1. JackAugust 28, 2012 at 6:14 AM

    I played golf on a course in Florida where two extroverted sandhill cranes made nuisances of themselves by strolling up to the tee box looking for food.

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  2. KathyAugust 28, 2012 at 6:16 AM

    Wow! You must have been really excited to get these photos. They're magnificent.

    P.S. There is an area in Arizona (of all places) where thousands of sandhill cranes go on vacation in the winter!

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  3. MadSnapperAugust 28, 2012 at 8:17 AM

    the last two could go to the Olympics next year. we have them here but it is rare to see them.

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  4. DarlaAugust 28, 2012 at 8:34 AM

    It is great that you had your camera in hand when you looked up. I expect you have your camera ready most times.

    Darla

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  5. LowellAugust 28, 2012 at 8:40 AM

    Superb. We have these here. In fact, you may remember the Stone Creek post where I got one of them coming right up to me in the back yard.

    They're big birds and your action photos are awesome!

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  6. i stora dragAugust 28, 2012 at 9:09 AM

    Lovely photos of the flying cranes! They are so amazingly big birds, and noisy too! :)
    Don't know if it's the same sort we saw here in Sweden in springtime? We were visiting a place where the cranes rested before they continued to fly even more up to the middle of Sweden. There were several hundreds of them and they danced too!
    /Pia

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  7. Paul in Powell RiverAugust 28, 2012 at 11:16 AM

    Sandhill Cranes are not frequent flyers on the coast either - I was pleased as punch to get pictures, but not,alas, in flight, last January. And I hope you stay getting excited about new birding experiences!

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  8. LindaAugust 28, 2012 at 11:26 AM

    Great sighting and awesome photos.

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  9. theconstantwalkerAugust 28, 2012 at 11:33 AM

    Beautiful flight shots..

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  10. Taken For GrantedAugust 28, 2012 at 12:07 PM

    Your photos are wonderful of beautiful birds. They migrate from the Southwest to Canada every spring and back every fall. Grand Island, NE along the Platt River is a major rest stop for them. One of the places they go by the thousands is Bosque Del Apache in New Mexico where there is thousands of acres of wetlands protected as a bird sanctuary.

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  11. Anni August 28, 2012 at 12:40 PM

    Your captures of the sandhill cranes are superior!! It's been ages since I've seen one in the wild....

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  12. LONDONLULUAugust 28, 2012 at 12:49 PM

    Wow, amazing action shots, you captured them beautifully! Love that synchronized pair :) I don't think I've ever seen them out here - we mainly get the GBH's - so this is special.

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  13. UnknownAugust 28, 2012 at 12:59 PM

    Grand shots!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  14. TexWisGirlAugust 28, 2012 at 1:01 PM

    such gorgeous subtle colors and feathers on these beauties!

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  15. IndraniAugust 28, 2012 at 1:02 PM

    "WOW" Captures!

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  16. Ruth HiebertAugust 28, 2012 at 1:11 PM

    Excellent shots. I get excited each time I see these,as they are not all that regularly seen in southern Manitoba either.

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  17. Cezar and LéiaAugust 28, 2012 at 1:13 PM

    Gorgeous and elegant birds, I'm enchanted by your beautiful pictures!
    Léia

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  18. Cheryl @ TFDAugust 28, 2012 at 1:16 PM

    Wonderful captures! That last shot is really amazing!!

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  19. RedPatAugust 28, 2012 at 1:25 PM

    I would be excited too! Great shots!

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  20. Sallie (FullTime-Life)August 28, 2012 at 1:43 PM

    Wonderful flight shots! I wouldn't even want to meet anybody who DIDN'T get excited about sandhill cranes. They are wonderful. And that you captured them in flight!!! (Amazing how graceful these big old things are in the sky!)

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  21. ViolaAugust 28, 2012 at 1:58 PM

    BRAVO that you observed them and could take photos so fast!! =) Very beautiful birds, and I love the closeup -- and the last one with the two flying side by side is stunning! :)

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  22. John "By Stargoose And Hanglands"August 28, 2012 at 2:41 PM

    I'd be extremely excited to see them here in England! Though we do have a tiny population of Common Cranes that breed here - that's exciting enough for me!

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  23. mickAugust 28, 2012 at 3:02 PM

    Great photos and a magnificent bird to see flying overhead like that.

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  24. LindyLouMacAugust 28, 2012 at 3:03 PM

    Worth getting excited about they are great captures.

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  25. jabblogAugust 28, 2012 at 3:27 PM

    Oh, these are GORGEOUS - I would be so excited to capture these shots. Well done indeed:-)

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  26. RohrerbotAugust 28, 2012 at 4:30 PM

    Guess what? They're growing in numbers and soon you'll have them around your area as well. I spotted several in Wisconsin this summer. They are returning to Arizona and in October, we should have about 40 to 50 thousand of them in our wetlands on the Santa Cruz flats. I hope to be there to welcome them back again. Incredible birds!

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  27. CloudyAugust 28, 2012 at 4:51 PM

    Wow! Das sind Fotos von denen ich nur träumen kann...

    Lieben Gruß
    CL

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  28. GeorgeAugust 28, 2012 at 4:58 PM

    I think you should be excited about these wonderful photos of the Sandhill Cranes.

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  29. eileeninmdAugust 28, 2012 at 5:10 PM

    Wow, very cool to see the cranes in flight. Awesome photos.

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  30. LoracAugust 28, 2012 at 5:28 PM

    I have never seen cranes fly together. Gorgeous shots! The two at the end.. WOW!

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  31. Brian KingAugust 28, 2012 at 7:44 PM

    Fabulous flight shots!

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  32. DiannaAugust 28, 2012 at 8:00 PM

    All beautiful photos, but that last one is amazing!

    (Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment today.)

    OPEN ID won't allow me to comment, so this is my blog:
    www.thesedaysofmine.com

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  33. RandyAugust 28, 2012 at 8:53 PM

    Love that last shot. They are such beautiful birds.

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  34. ChrisJAugust 28, 2012 at 9:35 PM

    Great photos of the cranes. Spectacular to see. Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  35. Gillian OlsonAugust 28, 2012 at 10:15 PM

    Tremendous pictures, great to see the sandhill cranes.

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  36. SnowcatcherAugust 28, 2012 at 10:32 PM

    Oh, my goodness!!! Wonderful shots! We see them in the spring, about 100 miles south on a refuge, during mating season and prior to their northward migration. They have the most amazing courtship dance, and I could listen to their call all day!

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  37. JudyAugust 28, 2012 at 11:06 PM

    That would be so exciting!! I did not know that sandhill cranes were ever seen in Ontario!!

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  38. NatureFootstepAugust 29, 2012 at 2:16 AM

    Nice shots. Don´t think I have seen them either but they look similar to our Common crane.

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  39. Stewart MAugust 29, 2012 at 7:39 AM

    Hi there - nice shots - I like the way one sense (hearing) brought you to get a picture with another (sight).

    They look a great deal like our Brolgas - which are another species of crane.

    Thanks for the link to WBW.

    Stewart M

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  40. LindaAugust 29, 2012 at 8:37 AM

    Fabulous shots! I see them when I am in Florida visiting, but not here at home in Virginia! You captured their beautiful flying form and the synchronized soaring is beautiful!

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  41. Vores haveAugust 29, 2012 at 9:33 AM

    Nice pictures you show of cranes :)
    Hanne Bente

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  42. RoseAugust 29, 2012 at 10:14 AM

    I always love seeing Sandhill Cranes...we have had a few come to the strip pits. I wish they would become regular visitors.

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  43. KusumAugust 29, 2012 at 10:40 AM

    Lovely pics of birds in flight!

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  44. KusumAugust 29, 2012 at 10:40 AM

    Lovely pics of birds in flight!

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  45. Nette CeciliaAugust 29, 2012 at 12:48 PM

    Lovley photos ,Nette

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  46. Adam JonesAugust 29, 2012 at 4:04 PM

    Great shots. I love the Crane.

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  47. Jenn JilksAugust 29, 2012 at 5:11 PM

    What a delightful surprise it must have been. I heard a whooping crane in spring. We have them in our local park. But these are great, too!
    http://mymuskoka.blogspot.ca/2012/07/biking-on-summer-day.html

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  48. StephanieAugust 29, 2012 at 10:06 PM

    They are beautiful looking birds with that touch of red on their heads.

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  49. AnonymousAugust 30, 2012 at 12:06 PM

    I can see why you'd be excited. They are beautiful birds. Great captures.

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  50. NeilAugust 30, 2012 at 10:25 PM

    Beautiful birds in flight.

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  51. JeannelleAugust 30, 2012 at 11:03 PM

    Great captures! Good thing you looked up!

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