Sandhill cranes of several subspecies are found across most of the North American continent, but for many birders and nature photographers, the premier place to see them is the Bosque del Apache refuge in New Mexico.  In late fall and winter, roughly ten to fifteen thousand cranes gather on the refuge, roosting in pools at night, feeding in nearby fields during the day, and returning to their roosts at sunset.   In November, the gathering of photographers and their big lenses along the 'Flight Deck' at dawn or the 'Crane Pools' at dusk is nearly as impressive as the birds themselves.  I've been to Bosque six times and each visit has been as memorable as the others.   All the images on this page were taken in November 2011.
          In certain combinations of temperature and humidity, and if the wind is low, mist will gather over the roosting pools in the early morning.   These photos were taken on such a morning, just after the sun rose.   The view is looking east, so the birds are mostly seen as shapes against the brightly backlit mist.   In a few shots, roosting snow geese are also visible.

• Canon 1D4, 800 mm f5.6 IS lens, some with 1.4X converter, some with fill-in flash (2011)