This has been a very comfortable yet unusual autumn season. The cold and snowy weather has failed to appear on time and I for one have really enjoyed it. Sandhill Crane staging at Crex Meadows seems to vary from year to year. That is a good thing for wildlife and nature photographers as nature is always changing and presenting new opportunities in all of it's seasons. I guess that is why we never get tired of being at the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area.
Having said that, Pam and I headed up to the wildlife area last week to see if the Sandhill Cranes were still around. They were! The weather was nice and we were able to experience and photograph some of the remarkable sights that were present. After a nice fried chicken wing lunch and conversation in Turtle Lake with our friends the Doerings, we had enough time to get a few shots in before the sun set.
The next day we got out for sunrise photos at the wildlife area and were later expertly and cordially updated on the happenings and best places to go in the wildlife area by Kim Wheeler at the visitor center. Those information sessions can save a lot of time when you are trying to locate the best areas for viewing and photographing nature.
I posted some representative images from our trip below and we hope that you enjoy them. Don't forget to click on the images to enlarge them.
Pam is now retired so we are able to get out more to explore Midwest nature. We are always open to suggestions for new wildlife areas to explore and photograph. Just send an email. Thanks.
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| Sunrise |
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| The Cranes were everywhere. |
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The cranes were quite noisy as they returned to the wildlife area after a
day of feeding in the fields. Phantom Lake marsh. |
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| A cool smoke trail from what appears to be a controlled burn at sunset. |
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| Phantom Lake Road was quite congested Wednesday morning. |
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| Fog lifting off of the water at Phantom Lake Wednesday morning. |
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| A flock of Sandhill Cranes flying through the wildlife area. |
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| Sharp-tailed Grouse enjoying the early morning sun. |
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| The moon was not yet full Wednesday evening when I took this photo. |
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