The Mating Dance
by Elizabeth Winter
Title
The Mating Dance
Artist
Elizabeth Winter
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Early each spring, thousands of sand hill cranes spend several days feeding along the Platte River in south-central Nebraska. In March and early April, Rowe Sanctuary makes its blinds along the Platte available at dawn and dusk.
The evening begins about an hour before sundown. A small group is briefed at the nature center, then quietly walks down to the blind. At this point the only cranes seen are twos and threes flying overhead. While we waited, we saw hundreds of other birds, including several bald eagles. We also saw two groups of white tail deer.
As dusk approach,ed groups of cranes started forming and flying. As it grew dark the birds were constantly moving, looking for a place to settle for the night. The noise from the birds was incredible.
Finally, about when the sun was completely down, a couple of birds selected a spot in the water about 300 to 400 yards away and more birds joined. Flocks of hundreds of birds kept coming and landing. As it grew so dark that we could only see the birds because of their silhouette against the faint light reflected on the water, some of the birds were only about 30 yards away.
Uploaded
April 2nd, 2013
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Viewed 926 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/15/2024 at 4:53 AM
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Comments (46)
Morris Finkelstein
Wonderful photograph of a pair of Sandhill Cranes, with great timing, perspective, and composition, Elizabeth! F/L
John Bartelt
Elizabeth, what an awesome capture of these two Sandhills! Also enjoyed the great description of your viewing experience from the Rowe Sanctuary Blind. l/f
Kathy Braud
great capture, Elizabeth! Hard to get close so you must have been very persistent in waiting! L/f
Mary Machare
Fabulous capture, Elizabeth! I just saw about 40 of them flying in formation on their way south. These are magnificent birds and it would have been wonderful to see the dance. LF P
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