Whooping Crane Who Thought She Is a Sandhill

[Loi Nguyen]

Took this image while on a private tour with Jim Neiger. The cranes were foraging among the cows on a private farm when they detected something that spooked them and all went on an alarm call. Not an ideal setting, but this was my first image of whooping crane and I will spend 2 days in the Aransas NWR next weekend looking for them, so I took it as a good omen. Would appreciate your feedback and tips to shoot this critically endangered species.

1DX
500f4 II + 1.4X III
1/2000
f5.6
ISO-1600
Handheld

Early morning. I kept the SS high in case they took flight.
Cloned out some distracting blobs of highlights and blacks in the BG.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Loi

[Satish Ranadive]

Loi,
Magnificent image of nicely posed and alert cranes in beautiful lights. I like the environment with nice greens and vertical lines in the BG.
Where and when this crane was ringed, any Idea?

Regards,
Satish.

[Loi Nguyen]

Satish, thank you for your comments. This whooping crane is likely part of a now abandoned experiment to let Sandhill incubating whooping crane egg and teach them to migrate in Wisconsin or Florida, not sure. The problem is now the whooper thinks she/he a Sandhill and won't mate with other whoopers. They do learn to migrate with Sandhills though. Loi

[Grace Scalzo]

Loi, I like your image with the included habitat.

[David Salem]

Nice pose by all of them and nice to see the Whooper in the mix. I have seen them a few times in Texas and New Mexico and they are always with Sandhills. Nice capture of this rareity

[Arthur Morris]

A nice arrangement and I like the tree trunks in the upper BKGR. EXP good. One pair has bred at least twice in Florida. The first bird is a little short on head angle.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the setting, exposure, composition and how the get progressively higher. Thanks for the information too. Well done Loi.

[David Alaniz]

Like the loan screamer with the Sandhills. While visiting Texas check out Kevin Simms http://texasbirdingphotos.net/. I know several who have been out with him and would do it again. Ask about the Lamar, Tx location. I am seeing some really good close shots from that area. Take Care!

[adrian dancy]

Good light....I'm OK with BG. A pity about the head position of the bird in front.

[Marina Scarr]

A lovely and unique image, Loi. Love the way they are standing in order of their stature. The light is nice and the environment in the BG works well!!