Geraint Smith Photography

Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

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Tag: Monte Vista NWR

Sandhill Cranes Heading North

Geraint March 15, 2017 No Comments

Sandhill Cranes heading north. For the last couple of weeks I’ve seen and heard the Sandhill cranes overhead on their northward migration. The cranes navigate using the Rio Grande, which passes about ten miles west of us. I may be wrong in assuming this, but I like to think that by keeping the river to the west and with the snow capped peaks of the Sangre de Cristo mountains to the east, also aids in the cranes navigation. The Sandhill Crane Festival in Monte Vista, was happening last weekend, about a two hour drive from home. We didn’t have to travel that far … we only had to stop, listen and look up. Thanks for looking. G

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Sandhill Cranes, In Flight, Monte Vista NWR

Geraint January 19, 2017 2 Comments

Sandhill Cranes in flight at the Monte Vista NWR, Colorado. It’s always fun to make the two hour drive from Taos to Monte Vista. The National Wildlife Refuge is just south of the town of Monte Vista in the eastern San Luis Valley. There is plenty to see on the drive there and thousands of Sandhill Cranes are the payoff in the NWR at the end of the journey. That said … if we are lucky…  the sunset on the Sangre de Cristo mountains on the drive home really makes for a spectacular finish to a day of photography. The Sandhill Cranes will be flying through there again in early March. That’s when we’ll make another trip north to spend time with them. Thanks for looking.

Sandhill Cranes at the Monte Vista NWR, Colorado.

Sandhill Cranes Monte Vista NWR