Lee's Photoblog
Courtship Dance
Posted by Lee (Fort Frances Ontario, Canada) on 3 April 2009 in Animal & Insect and Portfolio.
It is just about that time of year again. Birds will be starting to return to their northern breeding grounds any time now. I enjoy getting out and listening to the sandhill cranes whooping and croaking. I especially enjoy watching them jump and flap their wings, and prance around their mate. Perhaps they will not have perform this ritual on ice and snow this year.
Thank you for visiting my site. I consider myself to be lucky living where I do. Everyday I wake up to a wealth of interesting visual scenarios. Most of my pictures are Wildlife and Nature taken from around the area. The area specifically being Fort Frances Ontario on beautiful Rainy Lake. Feel free to comment on what you see. I look forward to hearing from you. If you like what you see, please rate it. Better yet, bookmark the site and drop back often. I will be posting daily.
All images are copyrighted by Lee Oelke Photography. They cannot be reproduced, electronically, or by printing without my written consent. Should you be interested in any of my images, please contact me.
jamesy from christchurch, New Zealand
gorgeous Lee He is very beautiful and I love the expression you have captured
3 Apr 2009 5:09am
@jamesy: Thank you Debbie.
@Didier DE ZAN: Thank you
Hidalgo from Herunen, Finland
Very exquisite shot. This is really nice. Thank You sharing it with us.
3 Apr 2009 5:44am
@Hidalgo: Thjank you for the compliment.
@eva: Thanks Eva.
"Marie" :-) from perth, Australia
Hi Lee, everything in this photo is amazing, the colours, the long grasses, and as for the pose of the crane...... you have really captured this well. Thanks for sharing.
3 Apr 2009 6:25am
@"Marie" :-): Thanks Marie. You are welcome.
@Veronique: Thank you
@lydia: Thank you very much
@Elena Kotrotsou: Thank you Elena
@Eleftheria: Thank you
Viewfinder from Bradenton, FL, United States
You caught this one in mid-dance. Perfect timing. He looks so exuberant, like Tony Manero/John Travolta at the disco in Saturday Night Fever. I'm sure the lady sandhills are all flocking around him by now.
3 Apr 2009 12:01pm
@Viewfinder: Thank you so much.
MontereyJohn from Salinas, California, United States
Lee, i am speechless. That is just glorious. (How cold and wet did you get? :)
3 Apr 2009 12:39pm
@MontereyJohn: I really did not get very cold at all. This shot was taken when the temperature was about 3-5. Considering some of my shots are taken at -40 degrees, this was actually enjoyable. The other thing to consider is that it really doesn't matter how cold it is. When something like this appears before your lens, you forget about temperature and just start shooting. Thank you for the compliment.
@Baby Sis: Thank you Shelley
Monique from Koh Samui, Thailand
He's a real poser ... fabulous shot and I hope he got lucky ;)
3 Apr 2009 2:08pm
@Monique: I hope he got lucky also. That's a lot of dancing prancing and whooping about.
@Giovanni: Thank you.
Marion from Liberty Township, United States
beautiful capture of the bird and the terrain! :)
3 Apr 2009 2:12pm
@Marion: Thanks Marion.
The Big Guy from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Lee, do you work from behind a blind to get the shots? They sure are beautiful birds, not only on land but especially in the air. Well done and a good timely capture.
3 Apr 2009 2:45pm
@The Big Guy: I do have a portable blind. I have even used it on occasion. Most of my shots are taken while roaming about. Some look closer than others. Almost all shots are taken with my 400mm lens. For the really far away critters I use my 1300mm lens. Thank you for the compliment.
Ajay from Pune, India
Lucky you... you are going to see so many beautiful birds. This shot is really captured beautifully.
3 Apr 2009 2:54pm
@Ajay: Thank you Ajay. In the next 4-6 weeks there will be a multitude of birds migrating north. The hawks have started this week.
Hema Iyer from Bangalore, India
Beautiful capture. Perfect pose....he looks so graceful and elegant.
3 Apr 2009 3:10pm
@Hema Iyer: Thanks Hema.
john4jack from Corvallis, Oregon, United States
Incredible capture, Lee! Absolutely superbly done. Bravo!
3 Apr 2009 3:15pm
@john4jack: Thank you Jack.
@Elora: His mate was just off the side of this shot. He was jumping and dancing for her.
Mary from PA, United States
Super capture of this beautiful bird. Love the pose you've caught here. Very ineresting to see. Thanks for sharing it.
3 Apr 2009 7:22pm
@Mary: Every spring our area fills up with lots of birds. In early morning you can hear these birds from almost a mile away.
LauraS from Chico, United States
Delightful shot. Love this character of a bird. He's performing for the camera.
3 Apr 2009 10:00pm
@LauraS: Thank you. I can see how you think that.
Suzanne Labbé from Granby, Canada
WoW ! What a wonderful shot. Bravissimo. It is like a revival when the birds come back from South ! I'll be at Pointe-Pelée next May - Youppi :o)
3 Apr 2009 10:29pm
@Suzanne Labbé: Point Pelee is a place I've always wanted to go. If I'm patient enough, most of those birds will arrive here also, just not as many. Thank you for the compliment
Linerberry from Sumner, Christchurch, New Zealand
WOW!!! A stunning capture!!! Bravo:-)
4 Apr 2009 3:14am
@Linerberry: Thanks Liners.
@mats: Thanks Mats
@Ben: Thanks Ben, Good to hear from you. Take care.
Lesley from Lincoln, United States
I simply must get out to central Nebraska next year and take some photos of these regal birds! This is a fantastic capture, Lee!
5 Apr 2009 5:08pm
@Lesley: Thank you Lesley.
@shallowregret: Again I say Thank you.
@Magda: Thank you Magda.
BIG SiS and Brother inlaw from Petawawa, Canada
Hi Lee; Very nice pic, caught at a great pose !
7 Apr 2009 6:22pm
@BIG SiS and Brother inlaw: Thank you. You should hear the noise they make. It's loud.
Denise from Perry, United States
If only humans could be so elegant in their courtship dance these days..... Great shot.
9 Apr 2009 9:39pm
@Denise: Birds just seem to know how to do it. They have that certain finesse. Thank you for the compliment.
@Heather: Thank you Heather.
