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View Full Version : Sandhill Crane in summer plumage

Turbowolf
15th of February 2005 (Tue), 14:50
Summer's coming ...
100/400 IS USM lens on a 300D
robertwgross
15th of February 2005 (Tue), 16:14
I can't tell size from the photo. Is that a Greater Sandhill Crane, or a Lesser Sandhill Crane?

---Bob Gross---
Turbowolf
15th of February 2005 (Tue), 18:45
I have no idea, it stood about 4 feet tall, but both the lesser and greater only have a 5" difference in size. Who knows, it could be one of the intermediate ones that cannot be assigned a subspecies...

I was out looking for baby moutain goats when this was across the field, looked unusual so I took a shot...
robertwgross
15th of February 2005 (Tue), 18:56
I was out looking for baby moutain goats when this was across the field, looked unusual so I took a shot...

That sure isn't a mountain goat.

About how close were you?

I find the Sandhill Cranes wintering in California to be pretty skittish, and they stay a long way back behind their protective fence (that humans are not allowed to cross).

---Bob Gross---
Turbowolf
15th of February 2005 (Tue), 19:07
100- 400 IS Lens at about 1/8 mile. Bright sunny day ... and a big bird that I had never seen before. I looked it up in Sibley, which didn't do a bit of good in identifying it as a lesser or greater sandhill.
robertwgross
15th of February 2005 (Tue), 19:24
100- 400 IS Lens at about 1/8 mile. Bright sunny day ... and a big bird that I had never seen before. I looked it up in Sibley, which didn't do a bit of good in identifying it as a lesser or greater sandhill.

I ran into the exact same page in the book around December, when I was shooting the cranes in California. Same lens.

Hell, it was probably the same bird. Did it have kind of a funny expression on its face, and then it started jumping up and down? Yup. Same bird.

---Bob Gross---
sparker1
15th of February 2005 (Tue), 19:56
I don't know if this contributes anything. Here in Fl, we have some sandhills that stay year round, they are more grey colored. Then we have those that winter here, somewhat larger and more brown colored. I have assumed they are the "greater", whereas the native birds should be the "lesser" variety.

Iam surprised that sandhills winter as far north as Wa. Is that normal?
robertwgross
15th of February 2005 (Tue), 21:05
Iam surprised that sandhills winter as far north as Wa. Is that normal?

According to Sibley, some spend summers as far north as Northern Alaska, and spend winters as far south as the Colorado River, N.M., and Southern Texas. Then there are some that hang out in Florida all year round.

It must be nice.

---Bob Gross---