Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/04/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Doug, Thanks for looking, I agree, a panoramic crop would work much better. In another field and another take the panoramic format will also work so I will get that up soon. I think next time I visit my dad's family I will find a landowner that abuts the Platte and build something out of the underbrush that accumulates and live with the mosquito's to get some good close images. Don dorysrus@mindspring.com -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Doug Herr Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2004 8:18 AM To: Leica Users Group Subject: Re: [Leica] Sand Hill Cranes or I am not Doug Herr on 4/17/04 6:11 PM, Don Dory at dorysrus@mindspring.com wrote: > About 50 miles west of York is the start of the temporary resting place > for about half a million Sand Hill Cranes. Starting about February 14 > to about the end of April Sand Hill Cranes inhabit a stretch of ground > 80 miles long and about six miles wide centered on the Platte River from > Grand Island west to North Platte. > > Family units consisting of the parents and typically one grown chick > stop for about three weeks to gain enough body mass (about 20%) to > continue the migration north into NW Canada reaching into Siberia. > Winter grounds are in W Texas in the greater big bend area. > >> From shortly after sunrise until just before sunset corn fields hold > large groupings of these birds as they gorge on seeds, eggs, insects, > lizards, and small snakes. From evening until dawn they rest amongst > the sand bars of the Platte: the Platte is a braided river so there are > many shallow streams flowing around numerous sand bars providing safety > from most predators. > > Unfortunately for me, these birds are quite wary and have excellent > vision. Even sitting still on an embankment abutting fields the birds > would gradually "graze" away from me. Even on the river, unless you are > in a blind they will move away from you. > > So, if I go back, I will arrange with a local land owner to allow me to > set up a blind in a field and while away my hours hoping that they will > pick my field to forage. Likewise, the Audubon society has a very nice > facility on the river (Rowe Audubon Center) that maintains a good blind > on the river. Small or preferably large donations are appreciated. > > Suggestions for anyone else going would include taking lenses up to > 800mm and or binoculars of at least 10 power. Stop by the Audubon > center for orientation and helpful tips. And do talk to the local > residents; they are as interesting to talk to as watching the cranes. > > The picture linked below is a descriptive image of very typical behavior > in an open field, but isn't a very good image. > > http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2294069&size=lg > > Comments always welcome. > > Don > dorysrus@mindspring.com > Don, my own Sandhill Crane photos also suggset that I am not Doug Herr! I'd suggest a crop to panorama format for this photo. Doug Herr Birdman of Sacramento http://www.wildlightphoto.com _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information