Common/Eurasian Crane - Grus grus

[bellebouche]

We're on the migration route for these magnificent birds and had about 400 fly over yesterday. My fave shot...

Click for full size where the variability in each bird stands out.

It's quite a sight to see them in formation - each one will have a 2M+ wingspan

 

[u8myufo]

Hi Adrian, 400 must truly be a spectacle to see but I can only count 7 :shrug: I imagine they must be at a fair height which has obviosly made it difficult to achieve any detail against the bright sky, the larger image does work better as a silhouette shot though

 

[bellebouche]

Hi Adrian, 400 must truly be a spectacle to see but I can only count 7 :shrug: I imagine they must be at a fair height which has obviosly made it difficult to achieve any detail against the bright sky, the larger image does work better as a silhouette shot though

Yeah, time of day, angle of the sun - not much choice other than to shoot for a silhouette really.

Here's one of a fuller formation - about a kilometre away at this point I think. You can hear them coming long before you see them then all of a sudden a giant flock of them appears.