Even though much of the US is sorely lacking snow and ice today, I present some frigid weather in this video by reader Tara Tanaka, “Cranes on thin ice”. It was filmed in New Mexico. Her notes (I’ll add that the Lesser Sandhill Crane is regarded as a subspecies of the Greater). Be sure to click the four-arrow icon in the video’s lower right corner to enlarge:
During the two weeks we spent at Bosque del Apache NWR last November, there were many mornings that the ponds had ice, making mornings challenging for many of the cranes. In one clip you can see that in these conditions, the lighter Lesser Sandhill had the advantage over the heavier cousin, the Greater Sandhill. I hope it brings a smile to your face.
Tara’s Vimeo site is here.
I really want to compliment Ms Tanaka on her video. Besides the obvious patience it took to get such great footage and her editing skills, I was immediately impressed by the musical library that must exist in her head to be able to match a segment of music so perfectly with her subject matter.
Thank you so much! This one was particularly fun to edit, as you can probably imagine. I knew I wanted a waltz, and couldn’t find the one that was in my head available to license, but when I found this I knew immediately it was the one!
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Lovely video. The Bosque del Apache is well worth a visit and the best time is in November for the annual Festival of the Cranes. Along with the thousands of Sandhill Cranes there are many thousands of Snow Geese and a wide variety of other dinosaur descendants. I was lucky enough years ago to see a Whooping Crane there, but it was the last of its species to visit the Bosque.
Thank you John. I just heard that there are a lot fewer birds this year than last.
Coincidentally, a Whooping Crane from the Operation Migration class of 2009 arrived in Leon County Florida (where I am) at 4pm on Christmas day, almost exactly when you posted your comment. He has been with his mate the previous 4 years, but she left him for another male this summer and he arrived alone this year. Craniacs from near and far have been enjoying having him here. I posted a video of his interaction with a cow
Reminds me of Disney’s Fantasia.
Nicely done Tara.
Thanks Rick!
Stunning as always Tara. Digiscoping like nobody else!
Thanks so much Josh!