Sandhill Crane

[Nymph]

migration is in full swing. I saw hundreds of these birds yesterday.

[JayinMN]

Nice shots, the second is my favorite of the bunch.

[fishinfey8]

Boy they are fun to watch and listen to. Thanks for sharing.

[Jim Almquist]

Very cool sight Dave. I like the BIF shots because those guys are so stream line when in flight.

[DonBo]

A good friend hunts these birds in No Dak and Canada. Claims they look like a broken lawn chair falling from the sky. How's that for a visual?

[Birdsong]

Very nice, Dave. Oh the broken lawn chair visual is heart breaking!!!!

[Nymph]

Thanks for the comments....these were just some grab shot I took as I was on a different mission at the time.

[MN Shutterbug]

Dave, where did you see these cranes? I've never seen any in this part of the state. I'm planning a run down to the Platte River in NE late winter/early spring where they are supposed to number around 10,000. They are a cool looking bird. I also, like the inflight shot.

Actually, I just read that the cranes can number up to 500,000, during migration.

[Nymph]

I found these birds about 5 miles East of Foley, Minnesota. There were 3 groups of them and one group was about 75-100 birds. I wish I could take you out there, closer than the Platt River, but I will be busy for the next couple of weeks.

Crex Meadows in Wisconsin is a hot spot right now for them also. They get up to 10,000 birds in the area.

[knoppers]

there has been hundreds of them holding up at sherburne refuge on the north end. they fly north into the farm fields, I never seen so many. maybe they are right, birds are starting to move farther east now on there migrations.

[Nymph]

I was going to say,I bet they are headed to sherburne refuge system.Foley is located just north of there I think.

[knoppers]

thats were most of them are out feeding, east of foley. during the last couple hours of daylight, there are small flocks flying absolutly everywere you look.

[Yellowhead]

If you want to photograph sandhills go Crex Meadows. There should thousands of them in the refuge by now

[buddha]

When I was in Canada last week we saw THOUSANDS of them. The locals said we hit it just right. Only got one shot with no luck. They are sure neat birds to listen too. Love the pics too.