Sandhill Crane

Up, up, and away! Watching these beautiful birds depart their overnight roosting grounds en masse was one of the most incredible birding spectacles of my life. There were so many birds that it was difficult to train my attention on one, but this guy broke away from the main group and offered opportunity for isolated capture. I'm always keen to avoid shadows in my flight shots, so I'm really happy with this well-lit result. I particularly like how the splayed primaries are aligned across the two wings.

Bernardo Wildlife Management Area, Socorro County, New Mexico, 12/17/20
Canon 600mm f/4 IS II + 1.4x III on EOS 1DX Mark II
1/2500 at f/8, ISO 1000