Sandhill Crane Migration part 2
Flock of Sandhill Cranes - photo by Steve Eckes
Where I left you in the last post was coming back from the Sandhill Crane flock rising from the North Platte River with the coming of the morning light. If you haven’t had a chance to read the first part go here. After some breakfast and an additional cup of coffee, we headed back to the visitor center to catch the bus for the daytime tour to photograph the Sandhill Cranes in the fields as they were feeding. The bus was half full so we could all line up on one side of the bus to observe the cranes. For equipment, I brought my camera, a Sony A7R4, a 200-600mm Sony lens, and a 50mm lens. Monique brought her 200-600mm lens and her trusty 70-200mm Sony lens. We were also warned, before we left, to use the restrooms now as there would be no pit stops for the next couple of hours or so. Then we were off.
We were loaded into a school bus and headed out of town. Bottled water and snack bars were once again served. Our guide and driver started telling us about the crane migration and what behaviors we could expect to see complete with line drawings of the behaviors and what they signified. Everything from aggression and dominance to wooing potential mates was discussed. These tutorials/discussions would be ongoing between stops to observe the cranes. The stops were just that. We would pull over to the side of the road wherever a flock of cranes was seen and spend some time photographing or just observing the cranes. There were several photographers on board though most of the people were observers. The tour guide and driver clearly had a route in mind so there was seldom more than several minutes between sighting fields of cranes. I do mean fields of cranes.
Sandhill Cranes Bulking up for the Flight to the Summer Breeding Grounds. -photo by Steve Eckes
Interspersed within the discourse were stories of the surrounding area. Who the early settlers were. What famous, both locally famous and internationally famous, people resided were and what tales they left the area with. Towards the end of our tour, we passed the local train yard. If you are a train geek, aficionado , etc., then this train yard is on your bucket list to visit. Going into much more detail on it would take up its own blog post and more. If you are interested go to www.goldenspiketower.com. This link will start you down that rabbit hole.
Anyway, more about the photography aspects of the trip. The day was warm and the sky was clear so the light was harsh. With so many birds milling about, it was hard to focus on individuals and their behaviors. We were able to open the windows on the bus and I would rest my camera on the window to steady my camera, especially with the 200-600mm lens. The shear number of birds was the overwhelming impression that I was dealing with during the trip. As a break from the Sandhill Cranes, there were Snow Geese in the same fields.
Snow Geese Feeding in a Field - photo by Steve Eckes
After a couple of hours of this, we found ourselves back at the visitor center parking lot. It was time for lunch and a nap. Maybe not a nap I was busy loading my photos onto a hard drive so I could see if any of the photos were any good and to start the culling process. Then a nap was in order.
The next evening we were heading out again. This time we were returning to the riverside blinds where we watched the birds on the river the previous morning. We were going to watch them land for the evening. The details regarding the trip to the blinds were pretty much identical to the prior morning so I won’t go into them here. Once at the blinds we actually had daylight to set up and get ready for the incoming birds and to examine the environment around us. The river was broad with tangles of underbrush dominated by huge Cottonwood trees on both sides of the river. There were a few younger kids with us so the noise level was not quite as subdued as in the morning session. Monique and I were carrying considerably less gear also. Besides my camera and 200-600mm lens, I had a tripod and my 50mm lens. Monique had dispensed with her 200-600mm and brought her 70-200mm lens and tripod, and her video gear of course. The cameras that we were using were my Sony Alpha 7R4 and Monique was shooting with her Sony Alpha 1.
Once everyone was settled in the wait started. The tour guides expected the cranes to start landing at late dusk. The day before it was almost full dark when they landed. This evening we didn’t have to wait that long. As the sky was starting to darken the first wave of cranes came in.
Waves of Sandhill Cranes Landing in the North Platte River.
They came in waves. Wave after wave of birds came in, filling the river in front of our blind. As they landed the birds would continue walking upstream as if to make room for the next wave. Just when you thought that all of the birds had landed another wave would come in. The beating of the wings and the vocalizing of the cranes just got louder and louder. Finally, after about 30 minutes the sound of beating wings faded out and there was just the raucous cooing of the cranes.
This was a much more prolonged experience than the morning lift-off, though no less thrilling. Even the kids settled down to watch the event. We were mostly quiet as we disembarked from the blinds and headed back to the bus. The trip had been very much worth it in our estimation. The evening landing event was a fitting crescendo to the trip. If you want more details about our adventure check out our YouTube video.
Now a word about our tour guides Dusty Trails, LLC. We are not sponsored by them in any way. We enjoyed their services. They were professional and knowledgeable of the Sandhill Cranes and the surrounding area. They went of their way to meet our needs and provide us with a marvelous experience.
Here Are Links Related to This Post:
Dusty Trails, LLC.
YouTube Video of Sandhill Cranes Trip
www.goldenspiketower.com
Affiliate Links for the Equipment that we use:
Sony A1 Affiliate Link