New on 500px : We are Family by chrishpetersen by chrishpetersen

A mated pair of sandhill cranes lead the way for a youngster on the very long northbound spring migration.

Unlike many birds, sandhill cranes tend to be monogamous (one male mates with one female). Once breeding pairs form, they can remain together for many years. The small family groups fly together within the massive migration flocks.

You can tell by the crimson red “cap” feathers that the two lead birds in this trio are an adult pair. The smaller bird in the rear lacks the adult crimson cap, and is probably last year’s offspring.

Cranes are like geese and often fly in formations. The older stronger birds lead the way, and the younger birds draft in the wake they create. The older cranes even slow their pace to enable the younger birds to keep up during the long migration flights.

I would encourage you to watch the cranes flying at dawn and dusk (Central Time Zone), during the migration on the Rowe Sanctuary live web cam (you will see an ad first): http://bit.ly/24XaVvG

Leave me a comment or email me if you would like more information on the crane migration and photographing them: chrishpetersen@live.com

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New on 500px : Heavy Crane Traffic on the Flyway Highway by chrishpetersen by chrishpetersen

The spring sandhill crane migration on the “Flyway Highway” is already in full swing along the Platte River in Nebraska.

Each spring, a magical migration happens in the Great Plains. More than 600,000 sandhill cranes converge on Nebraska’s Platte River valley—a critical sliver of threatened habitat in North America’s Central Flyway. They stop to feed and rest before completing their long journey to Canada’s nesting sites.

Along with the cranes come millions of migrating ducks and geese in the neighboring rainwater basins. And following these migrations are literally hundreds of photographers from all over the world.

After seeing my international wildlife photos, some have asked if I ever take wildlife photos from my home area. Absolutely! There is nothing quite like the experience of seeing and hearing hundreds of thousands of cranes descending from sky like paratroopers as they go to roost each night on the Platte River.

To find out more about how you might photograph this amazing migration, and support the efforts to preserve crane habitat, do a search for Rowe Sanctuary and the Crane Trust.

I’m also happy to provide you with details.
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