Sandhill Cranes

[oleksandr_holovachov]

Can anyone advise me on the wintering grounds of the Sandhill Crane in Southern California and Florida. I've seen

this birds twice in Florida while driving on the freeway, but I would like to observe them more closely and

hopefully take some pictures. I observed Common cranes in Eastern Europe many times on breeding grounds and

during migration, but now when I'm in California (and will be visiting Florida in December), I'd like to get

closer ot Sandhill cranes in the wild. Thank You, Alex

[sattler123]

You could drive to Cibola NWR at the border to AZ, off the I-10. Blyth is the closest town to Cibola. They typically have hundreds of Sandhill cranes, Snow Geese and other migrating birds. Cibola is a very well kept secret and you won't bump into a lot of photographers there.

[oleksandr_holovachov]

Thanks Juergen! But it is not a secret any more, after You put it on the Photo.net ;-) Alex

[jon_shiu]

Here's a place near lodi, Calif.<p>

 

<a

href=http://www.viamagazine.com/weekenders/sandhill_cranes_lodi05.asp>http://www.viamagazine.com/weekenders/

sandhill_cranes_lodi05.asp</a><p>

 

Jon

[jon_shiu]

also:<p>

<a href=http://www.natureali.org/pixley.htm>http://www.natureali.org/pixley.htm</a>

[sergey_oboguev]

Lodi area is useless as a photographic destination. Yes, there are sandhill cranes wintering there, but you cannot get

anywhere close to them, nor backgrounds are anything spectacular.

 

Hands down the best and most productive location for Sandhill Crane photography in winter is Bosque, though it may

be off your route; but places like Lodi is just a waste of time photographically.

[seancrane]

Hey Oleksander,

 

A great place to see them is in the Okefenokee Swamp that straddles the Georgia/Florida border. At the national wildlife

refuge in southern Georgia you can rent canoes and observe cranes at a very close distance (and also plenty of alligators).

Attached is a shot I took there years ago at about 200mm. There are also some other shots in my photo.net portfolio from

Okefenokee. Good luck.

[seancrane]

Here's the photo.

[seancrane]

Sorry, for some reason, the site is not allowing me to upload at this time.

[jimitoucan]

Sergey, I was thinking of Modesto, Consumes, and Esenberg for Sandhill Cranes. Have you shot there? I haven't been to these

before. How are they for Photo opts of Sandhills? My other thought was Sac NWR but I'm not sure how many Sandhills hang out

there and if they are accessible?

[sergey_oboguev]

Several years ago I investigated some places in Lodi-Medesto-Sacramento area because I happen to

live within drivable distance. I went first to Lodi crane festival and took a festival-provided trip (that

included Esenberg), and then also went to a couple of places indicated in California Wildlife Viewing

book and also mentioned by naturalists at the festival. I believe Sacramento NWR was one of them.

Bottom line: I did not even bother to pull out a lens anywhere there.

 

(There is one wildlife hunting area in the region though that has pheasants.)

 

The number of cranes does not matter per se, what matters is accessibility, backgrounds, light

conditions etc. You may have tons of cranes wintering in the area, but if they do not present

photographable conditions, bird count is irrelevant.

 

On a related note, I have not been to Platte, but was advised by some people who'd been there that

while it is possible take images there, it is a lot of pain (like having to book the blind in advance and

having to stay in it for close to 24 hours), while non-blind situations are not particularly productive. If you

can rent an airplane though, some spectacular aerial images can be taken (river full of cranes).

 

In the nutshell, if somebody wants to shoot wintering Sandhill cranes, there is no reason to go any other

place then Bosque. Assuming crane pools at Bosque are not dry, of course, but this year they should

not be, and alsolast year refuge management promised to clean and properly flood inner impoundments

and cut the grasses in front (that became a plague last year). Whether they delivered on the promise, I

do not know, thus year I did not go to Bosque, but I am sure lots of people at Naturescapes.net can

report on the current conditions.

[doug herr]

My experience with the Isenberg crane preserve, Lodi, and Sacramento NWR is pretty much identical to Sergey's. The Lodi/Isenberg/Cosumnes River preserve area has lots of cranes in the winter but access, light and backgrounds make it unproductive for photography. Sacramento NWR doesn't have a lot of cranes.

[steve_swinehart]

If you are driving from California to Florida and can work out the logistics, you might want to go here:

 

http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/newmex/bosque/

[mattbuser]

It might be out of your way but if you like to travel, There is a huge Sandhill Crane migration right thru

the middle of Nebraska in February through March. It is immense. Mostly around Kearney Nebraska. I

am planning on spending some time out there this winter.

[tim_knight]

I live in South Dakota and if you follow Highway 281 east of Kearney north through South Dakota all the way to Aberdeen you will find a layover at Sand Lake Refuge north and east of Aberdeen. I was able to get somewhat close to a feeding flock about 70 miles south of Aberdeen this past spring on March 30th. If anyone is interested in following them north on their migration starting at Kearney and on north over a week period you should be able to set up and get some great shots. Here is picture I took along a gravel road. The highway you see in the backround is HWY 281.<div></div>

[bob_bill]

Doug, have shot the Crane festival in Lodi 2 weeks ago and went back to the Consumnes preserve last weekend. The tour guides let us pop our cf card in their camera allowing us to use a 700mm lens, so it was enlightening seeing what serious bird photographers tote compared to my 70-200 with a 1.7tc=510 at f4.8 on a d200. For that area, seems like the shooting distance is over 300 yards and they come in to the preserve as the sun goes down, so low light. Last weekend over a hundred birds came in and some circled within 75 yards. Did find some spots on Woodbridge looking south to Mount Tam as a background during mid day, but still had some long range shooting. Here's my best shot at the Festival, as usual, wasnt on the planned shot list. No its not a Sandhill.<div></div>

[chelsea]

Years ago when I lived in Florida I used to see them at Myakka River State Park, south of Bradenton, on the west coast. It's hit or miss, sometimes they're near the boardwalk, sometimes away out on the marsh where you need a telescope to get a good view. As in all touristy places, get there early in midweek before the kids start running up and down the trails. Even if you don't see cranes, you're bound to see alligators, ibis, vultures, etc. along the way, so have the camera ready at all times.

[oleksandr_holovachov]

Thanks for all Your comments! Although I do not plan any "professional" photography, I would like to bring home some mice memories. I will definitely try one or two of Your recommended places in December. Alex

[jautey]

If you want to get really close to Sandhill Cranes only one place to go. The Platte River in Nebraska starting in March. That's where they congregate by the 100,000's before heading off to their breeding grounds. The Rowe Sanctuary in Kearney Nebraska offers photographer blinds for nightly rent.

[bob_bill]

Experimented shooting Lodi cranes at Consumnes to see how close I could get. They avoided flying over my parked truck in a consistent path to either side so with camo and duck calls, moved near their established flight path and they just kept coming over as I called using a feeding duck call. Dont know if the sound of feeding ducks helped or not, but I enjoyed it. They didnt flare even when I stood up to shoot, photo, I mean, as they passed over . They were going directly over my head at less than 40 yds (remington range) I will try it with a better sky, sun and try to set up for a better background. A good evening sky and cloud formation might produce some decent shots. Some were landing over 200 yds before reaching me so I didnt get the landing gear down, cupping shot I was looking for, but it was an interesting experiment. I was later alone at the Visitor center where there had been dozens of people last weekend. In camo and with hood up and stationary, heard them coming from behind me rather than 200 yds out to my left, again had birds right over my head coming in to land only 20 yards up. Unfortunately wasnt ready for them. Hey, this wildlife stuff is fun. But I do miss the muzzle flash at dusk and the smell of gun powder in the morning- it smells like..... victory.<div></div>

[mt4x4]

We used to get these around the Madison River area up here in Montana. This was of course during the summer. They are very beautiful birds, but I haven't seen one out there forever, I'm guessing due to some new housing. Its kind of sad, really.

 

I hope you are able to get some good photos of them.

[stemked]

Just got back from Jasper-Pulaski in Indiana. They had 14,000 last week now probably half that. Still its a lot of birds in great light.

[katherinemichael]

I live in Gainesville, Florida and I have Sandhills walking through my yard some days during the late winter and early spring. They are just starting to show up right now. Paynes Prairie Preserve SP in Micanopy about 10-15 minutes south of here always has lots of every kind of bird. I have gotten really close to the Sandhill cranes off of the Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail where it winds through Paynes Prairie and on the La Chua Trail. I do 85-90% of my nature shooing in Paynes Prairie right now. Its an amazing place.

 

Katherine