Sandhill Crane

Four Sandhill Cranes flying overhead nearby as they are returning to the refuge in the evening.
Sandhill Crane, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 9, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-2000; f/11; 1/800 sec. -0.7 exposure bias.

This page is for the Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis). I was taking a road trip to New Mexico to photograph Sandhill Cranes at Bosque del Apache NWR and made a stop at Roswell to look around Bitter Lake NWR. I had visited Bitter Lake about 16 years prior and really enjoyed the birds (this was well before I had more than a point-and-shoot camera). I always wanted to return with a better camera. As I was driving through west Texas I started noticing small flocks of cranes flying overhead. I even pulled off the road to take some pics just in case I didn’t see any later. Well, Bitter Lake NWR had about 16,000 Sandhill Cranes, so I had a lot of opportunities to take photographs. Where the cranes were a bit distant at Bitter Lake NWR, I could get much closer to them at Bosque del Apache NWR, even though there were fewer birds when I was there. Both locations were excellent and I ended up with over 6500 photographs in less than 48 hours with about 3200 of them being of Sandhill Cranes.

Thirteen Sandhill Cranes flying by as they return to the refuge in the evening.
Sandhill Crane, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 9, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-1600; f/11; 1/800 sec. -0.7 exposure bias.
Eighteen Sandhill Cranes flying overhead as they return to the refuge in the evening.
Sandhill Crane, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 9, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-1000; f/11; 1/800 sec. -0.7 exposure bias.
Over 60 Sandhill Cranes in a large group returning to the refuge in the early evening.
Sandhill Cranes, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 9, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-250; f/11; 1/800 sec.
Over 50 Sandhill Cranes flying directly toward the camera as they approach the refuge in the early evening.
Sandhill Crane, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 9, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-250; f/11; 1/800 sec.
A small group of Sandhill Cranes ready for the evening on the refuge. Most are standing but a few have already sat down on the ground.
Sandhill Crane, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 9, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-500; f/11; 1/800 sec.
Four groups of Sandhill Cranes, one group fairly close to the camera, coming into the refuge from the west as the sun sets. The sky is various shades of orange and silhouettes the ground.
Sandhill Crane, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 9, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-200; f/8; 1/800 sec. -0.7 exposure bias.
Single Sandhill Crane about to fly over.
Sandhill Crane, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-640; f/10; 1/1000 sec.
A couple hundred Sandhill Cranes taking off from where they spent the night at the refuge. Low, rolling hills are in the background just beyond the birds.
Sandhill Cranes, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-320; f/9; 1/1000 sec.
Approximately 100 Sandhill Cranes flying nearby as they head out from the refuge to feed.
Sandhill Crane, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-250; f/8; 1/1000 sec.
Twelve Sandhill Cranes flying by as they leave the refuge to spend the day feeding.
Sandhill Crane, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-500; f/11; 1/1000 sec.
A close-by profile view of two Sandhill Cranes leaving the refuge for the day.
Sandhill Crane, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-1250; f/10; 1/1000 sec.
Over 100 Sandhill Cranes in a field where they spent the night starting to move around as they prepare to leave the refuge to spend the day feeding. There are a few ducks on a small area of water between the cranes and the camera.
Sandhill Cranes, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-4000; f/10; 1/500 sec.
Ten Sandhill Cranes flying overhead and crossing in front of a nearly full moon.
Sandhill Crane, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 10, 2022,
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-200; f/9; 1/1000 sec.
Four Sandhill Cranes standing in a partially flooded field.
Sandhill Crane, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Tamron 150-600 mm lens with a 2.0x teleconverter; 1200 mm; ISO-800; f/14; 1/1000 sec.
Two Sandhill Cranes walking in the water of a partially flooded field.
Sandhill Crane, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Tamron 150-600 mm lens with a 2.0x teleconverter; 1200 mm; ISO-1000; f/14; 1/1000 sec.
Sandhill Crane coming in for a landing.
Sandhill Crane, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Tamron 150-600 mm lens with a 2.0x teleconverter; 1200 mm; ISO-1600; f/13; 1/1000 sec.
A Sandhill Crane puffed up against the cold while searching for food.
Sandhill Crane, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Tamron 150-600 mm lens with a 2.0x teleconverter; 1200 mm; ISO-1000; f/14; 1/1000 sec.
Two Sandhill Cranes either dancing or sparring in a field near some Snow Geese.
Sandhill Crane, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Tamron 150-600 mm lens with a 2.0x teleconverter; 1200 mm; ISO-1000; f/13; 1/1000 sec.
Sandhill Crane standing in a field.
Sandhill Crane, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-800; f/11; 1/1000 sec.
Two Sandhill Cranes walking around a plowed field looking for food.
Sandhill Crane, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM, November 11, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-320; f/11; 1/400 sec.
Nearly two dozen Sandhill Cranes out feeding in a field.
Sandhill Crane, King Ranch, Kingsville, TX, February 23, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-3200; f/10; 1/800 sec.
Five Sandhill Cranes feeding in afield of mixed grasses and small trees. One bird is taking flight.
Sandhill Crane, Fennessey Ranch, Refugio, TX, February 25, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-1600; f/10; 1/1600 sec.
Six Sandhill Cranes circling a field preparing to land. The birds are at the height or slightly above the tree tops of the wooded area on the opposite side of the field.
Sandhill Crane, Fennessey Ranch, Refugio, TX, February 25, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-800; f/11; 1/1600 sec.