Saturday, February 28, 2009

Three Tenors and friends

These sandhill cranes are my entry for the Camera Critters Meme...click on the link above to join the participants or to just visit a few more. Now to the pictures, I am sorry there are so many of them but I had a heck of a time narrowing them down to this many. I really hope you will click on them for the full benefit.
This one above is the one I call The Three Tenors...
Wednesday was one of the nicer days this week and we decided to go north to the Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife area...we were hoping to fish a little bit but all except one small part of the lake was still frozen. So, we decided to go to the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife area....I was hoping to see the Sandhill Cranes. In talking to another visitor there at Willow Slough, he said his friend had called him and said the cranes had started returning.
So even though it was later in the afternoon, we headed over there. It was only about a 30-45 minute drive. I must say it was so worth the time and effort.
I know what we saw was only a drop in the bucket to what it will be like later. I cannot image what the sound will be like cause it was so noisy with the ones that were there...I would think there was a hundred or two of them and these are just a few photos of them.
Don't you just love their landing still...it made me want to laugh out loud to watch them. They remind me of someone in a parachute...do they you? Time after time we seen them land like these.
They have a wingspan of almost 7 feet...and are around 3 1/2 feet tall.
The ones here were closet to the viewing stand...
We were there about and hour--till closing which is at 4:00 p.m. All that time they were coming and going, but for the most part coming.

We were walking down the ramp and heard all this noise. We turned around and almost every single one of them had taken flight and was leaving. There were deer there also and they took off running, only to pause and look.
I can only say I want to go back!
and remember to click on these photos to enlarge.

31 comments:

  1. clever they surely are my friends in my yard..sk

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  2. It is amazing to see a bird that big fly! Great photos!!

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  3. I really enjoyed this post. I just saw my first pair of sandhills earlier this month when we were vacationing in Florida. I can't imagine what it would be like to watch and listen to that many!

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  4. What a great spot to see the cranes. There are so many! I'm impressed. ;-)

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  5. As beautiful as these birds are.. I spotted something MORE beautiful here. The picture of your first grandchild. :)

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  6. I like your title. You have some awsome photos here.

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  7. I have never seen a crane before. Awesome pictures. LOL I bet it gets a bit noisey when they all get to hollering.

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  8. Very beautiful Cranes. Great pictures!

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  9. A fine series of these elegant looking birds... well maybe except for landing! :-) That must have been so impressive to see them up close and in flight. Thanks for sharing these with us.

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  10. wow! Around here we will have one, or maybe two 'herons' but never a flock. How awesome! (if these are not herons, they are similar)

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  11. I can understand that you want to go back. This must be an awesome place!

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  12. I love your three tenors caption. Great shots!

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  13. Wonderful photos! Thanks for sharing.

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  14. Wow, and Wow again! My personal soundtrack to this goes something like "Oh, whoa, wow, whoo!" Beautiful shots, all! "Three Tenors" - funny!!

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  15. I too smiled big time at "Three Tenors" - great title!
    These are some really splendid shots Rose - still shots and action. Wish I could visit there with you.

    My CC's is at Carletta’s Captures.

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  16. Gorgeous pictures - I love Sandhill Cranes.

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  17. When we lived in New Mexico we would go to Bosque del Apache every year to see the sandhill cranes. Gorgeous!

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  18. I'm glad you put all the pictures on. They are amazing. I love the 'coming in for a landing' shot.

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  19. Rose, these are tremendous captures. Although your 'Three Tenors' photo is great, I especially like the ones you got of the cranes in flight. I'm looking forward to more when you go back.

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  20. Love the one of the tenor, i also think the other photo is a great ballet . There all great

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  21. Great title and what an awesome experience. Your photos are wonderful.

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  22. these are some great bird in flight shots!

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  23. Oh my gosh!!! These photos are all absolutely outstanding and amazing! EXCELLENT post!

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  24. Fantastic!! Love "the three tenors" and their audience. Wonderful photos, Rose!

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  25. Aren';t they the most amazing birds?! I love them and can't wait til they get back here!

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  26. Great photos all... and yes they do remind me of people parachuting when they land. What a fun photo trip.

    Amy ~ The Salty Momma

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