Blue Skies and Cranes

Blue skies kind of day with lots of sunshine, yet still a bit nippy. I made a quick trip north to the outlet mall just south of Indianapolis to pick up a few things. Afterwards I stopped at the wildlife refuge and then made my way to Ewing Bottoms to check on the status of the Cranes.

As early afternoon made its way into late afternoon, Cranes began flying in from adjacent farm fields for the evening roost. Ten here. Twenty there. Thirty there. Everywhere I looked they were flying in. They'll leave soon for their breeding grounds in Canada for the warmer months, but I've enjoyed having them nearby for the winter. Hope your weekend was fantastic. ENJOY!

Photo of the Week

Ewing Bottoms has currently been taken over by the Sandhill Crane migration in southern Indiana. The Cranes number in the thousands in one huge farm field alone. In that particular field, there was an opening between two clusters of trees with thousands of cranes to the left and thousands behind the trees. Slowly, I made my way toward the opening, while staying hidden by trees on my right, so as not to disturb the Cranes I hoped to photograph behind the trees. The thousands of Cranes to my left were too far away so I knew I wouldn't disturb them.

Always in my mind I'm repeating the unwritten rule, don't disturb the wildlife. I got as close as I felt comfortable before stopping to take some photos. The crane behavior behind the treeline was much like that you'd find in a bus terminal. Cranes were flying in. Cranes were flying out. Cranes were lifting off, landing, and of course, dancing about in their traditional courting ritual. It was a hotbed of busy activity and I felt blessed to witness it in person. This particular image demonstrates best the unique interaction that takes place between the Cranes in their 'very' social gatherings. And I happen to think this image is beautiful. I hope you agree. ENJOY! PHOTOGRAPHER'S NOTE: Photo enhanced with Lomo-ish and Orton-ish textures.