Too Many Pictures . . .

Once again, I'm going to be guilty of way too many pictures.

But what can I say? This blog is like my own personal picture album and sometimes I just want to keep too many!

Remember that you can click on any image for a much larger, clearer version.

HOORAY, I finally got a semi clear closeup of a Sandhill Crane.
This one is my very favorite.

As the sun was setting,
the water looked like molten gold

I liked the reflection of the reeds

A wide shot of the golden lake

The pond is a bit low
so there are lots of plants
peeking up through the water

Here come the cranes!

Every time I see this,
I'm amazed again.
How can these mountains be so black
against the setting sun

Of course I can never resist the silhouette shot

The pond is so still,
the reflections are as sharp as the actual sky

Now the cranes are starting to huddle

These next shots were taken in sequence

I'm fascinated by the way they groom themselves

Their necks are so agile
they can reach around and under their wings
and totally hide their heads

I liked the composition of this shot

Another semi closeup

I love their little red masks

This is one more reflection shot.
Right before sunset the sky turned blue
and I got this reflection shot

Then the gold returned.
While this isn't as clear as I'd like,
I loved the sense of movement

This guy is just settling in for the night

Their balance is pretty awesome

One more wide shot

And the day is done