Sandhill Crane

PixelRabbit · Oct 13, 2013

Mr Rabbit and I were out and about, as we passed this field I saw two of these guys on the other side, we stopped and I got as close as they would let me, which wasn't very close lol As I approached they started walking off voicing their displeasure of my intrusion. I took a couple shots and let them be, these are the two best

Would love to hear your thoughts, thanks for taking a look!

cgipson1 · Oct 13, 2013

Judy.. nice shot. Why F7.1? If you had used a smaller aperture and focused well, there would be more background separation, which the top shot really needs. Not bad as is, but would have been better. I think a vertical crop would work better to emphasize the crane also.

SCraig · Oct 13, 2013

They migrate down here during the winter months. SM4HIM and I went and saw them on a wildlife refuge last February and there were HUNDREDS of them on the water and in the fields. The closest we could get to them was about 125 meters though.

Nice shots, they are interesting birds.

bc_steve · Oct 13, 2013

Nice, I love sandhill cranes! we get lots up here in the spring and summer, but I have never been able to get very close to one

baturn · Oct 13, 2013

I like #1 but wonder about portrait. Years ago in Sask I know people hunted these just as they did ducks and geese. May account for their skittishness.

PixelRabbit · Oct 13, 2013

Thanks all

Yes, these two saw us coming and despite a good distance between us they were headed for cover. Baturn, I looked up these guys after I took the shots and found that people hunted them, "sirloin in the sky", never woulda thunk it!!

Charlie, I was maxed out on my focal length (400mm), flat lighting and these are fairly heavy crops, my widest aperture on this lens is 5.6, under those conditions and wide open isn't ideal, I find between 6.3 and 7.1 is about as low as I can push it.