This is an old shot, going back to 2011 when my buddy Bill and I went out to shoot some sandhill cranes and I rented a $10,000 lens for a weekend. These birds are about a half mile away and although they are large for a bird, they are still quite small to fill up a shot. The trees in the background helped and the 300mm lens I rented brought them in closer but today's cameras with more megapixels will do an even better job as compared to my Nikon D7000 at the time. This is one instance you can't walk closer up to the birds as Jasper State Park in Indiana doesn't want the birds disturbed and everyone is required to stay on the reviewing stand. Sandhill cranes are notoriously jumpy around humans. Anyway, these shots were taken in November so the cranes were stopping for an overnight rest before they continue on their way to Florida or other points south from their summer haunts in Canada. If you are outside and in a quiet place you might hear the Sandhill Cranes flying overhead in the next month or two, even if you can't see them. They have a distinctive "trill" call. Anyway, this is a shot I might have to recreate someday soon.
