Golden Eagle, Hunting Sandhill Cranes
I’m off! The last time I drove through Colorado to Nebraska this time of year, I crossed paths with a flock of Sandhill Cranes on their spring migration North. The cranes weren’t flying in a familiar V-formation; they were scattered, bunched, panicked, by an eagle hunting in their midst. I pulled over and snapped this photo, one of my all time favorite shots of Wild America. Stay tuned for posts on Carhenge, Cather Country, and the Pony Express as I make my Teardrop dreams come true!
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About theblondecoyote
Mary Caperton Morton is a freelance science and travel writer with degrees in biology and geology and a master’s in science writing. A regular contributor to EARTH magazine, where her favorite beat is the Travels in Geology column, she has also written for the anthologies Best Women's Travel Writing 2010 and Best Travel Writing 2011. Mary is currently traveling the backroads from New Mexico to Alaska, writing and living out of a tiny Teardrop camper. When she’s not at the computer she can usually be found outside -- hiking, climbing mountains and taking photographs. Visit her website at www.marycapertonmorton.com.
Wow, the photo show just how large a golden eagle is! This is a good shot, Mary.
Thanks! I once saw a Golden Eagle sitting on a fencepost in Wyoming and it was massive! Sometimes it’s hard to tell how big they really are when they’re up in the sky. Sandhill Cranes are pretty big birds in their own right and that eagle makes them look like sparrows.
Since I am in Nebraska, this will be interesting to see what you come across! I’ve seen the Sandhilll Cranes fly over and land in an open field. Couldn’t get close enough for a decent shot as the spooked and flew off. I love their “trilling” sound as they fly overhead.
Yes! That noise is beautiful.
What a terrific photo – not just that you captured a rare sight, but the arrangement of the cranes in the sky would make this an interesting shot even if the birds were of a kind commonly seen.