Sandhill Cranes, Cibola NWR

[LazyPhotographer]

Cibola NWR, AZ

Got these at Cibola on Day #1 of my roadtrip. There were plenty of cranes around Cibola & the Salton Sea. Only goes to show you that Bosque isn't the only place with cranes. As a special bonus, look real close in the green field on the far left - there's a deer watching. At one point, we thought we saw a kangaroo too!

http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/albums/lazypics_migration_011605/IT5G5589az_crane.jpg

http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/albums/lazypics_migration_011605/IT5G5763a_crane.jpg


And Scott's flight shots:

http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/albums/lazypics_migration_011605/IT5G5573az_craneflight.jpg

http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/albums/lazypics_migration_011605/IT5G5559az_craneflight.jpg


Canon 1D MarkII, 100-400L IS

New pics on my website are found here: Newest Additions (http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=lazypics_new)

[eric1]

so nice Lazy. in particular, i liked #2 best!

[cactusclay]

Very nice shots. The second one reminds me of the mosquitos in Alaska, but they are a little bigger than those cranes.

[robertwgross]

Are those Greater Sandhill Cranes, or Lesser Sandhill Cranes? I think you can tell only from the relative size.

The second one, of the landing cranes in silhouette, is my favorite. It's caption should be "Landing Safety Officer to Crane One, Call the Ball."

---Bob Gross---

[Mills]

Those are some funky looking birds in the second shot.

[thomascanty]

Great shots of the cranes! They sure aren't very graceful looking.

[IanD]

Excellent shots Lazy. How about I swap ya a Grey Owl for a Sandhill? We don't get them here in the East.:(

[Scottes]

I love that second shot!

The others shots are great, but that second one grabs me...

[ssim]

Excellent shots Lazy.

[dewmuw]

#2 tops the list off for me. Did you get any of the deer taking off too? :D

[Ed Rotberg]

Great photos! We also have Sandhills in the Central Valley near Sacramento. From the looks of things, you can get a LOT closer to their roosts and such than we can here. Those fly-bys must have been pretty close given just a 400 and a 1.3 crop factor.

Very well done!! I like them all.

= Ed =

[Reigh Higgins]

Great shots! I also like the second one .

[robertwgross]

Great photos! We also have Sandhills in the Central Valley near Sacramento. From the looks of things, you can get a LOT closer to their roosts and such than we can here.

Very true.

Geese will flock and stand around within 25 yards of a road. Sandhills tend to stay back 250 yards or more.

---Bob Gross---

[TammieO]

Great shots! We went to see them in southeastern Arizona, but couldn't get close to where they were roosting in a preserve. I really like the shots of them flying. Can't wait to see what else you find on your road trip!

[Khaja]

Gosh darn it!! Great Photos!!

Khaja

[Maz]

Great Shots!!! I really like number 2...They are truly majestic birds and you have captured them so well.

Maz
http://www.homesteadsforsale.com

[Chris1le]

#2 gets my vote. Nice shots all though.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Fantastic!

These are just great! Love the second shot,. and the flight shots too .. (actually,.. I love them all)

[MegaTrixel]

Love the legs dangling down in #2. Wow. Just great shots.

[stoneylonesome]

Fantastic shots. they are just plain beautiful.

[Fer]

Agree, 2nd shot is the best!

[RockOne]

Nice photos. They're all great. Seems from that first photo they are quite plentiful there. I've only ever seen 1 crane, a brolga, and that was at the zoo !

[TimSchroepfer]

Fantastic work.

[sparker1]

Great shots. We have both "native" Sandhills and those that migrate here for the winter. In places, they become accustomed to humans and will walk within 25 feet or so. The Florida variety is smaller than the emigrants.

[LazyPhotographer]

Thanks everyone!