Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Sandhill cranes


SANDHILL CRANES (GRUS CANADENSIS), ONTONAGON, MICHIGAN, JULY 8, 2009

Pentax K20D
SMC Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 ED (IF)
1/250 sec. f13
ISO 400

I had driven to the Ontonagon airfield to hunt interesting airplanes. There weren't any, but in the cut-down field off the threshold of Runway 34 stood a sedge of eighteen sandhill cranes, a fairly common species in the western portion of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. "Among the tallest birds in the world and capable of flying at great heights," says the Birds of Michigan Field Guide.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice composition, but the lighting looks harsh. Did you take it at high noon?

Henry Kisor said...

You're right. I took that shot a few minutes past noon. For the one the next day, I went to the airport at around 8 a.m.

Early morning or late afternoon/evening sunlight is best.