Splish Splash Sandhills taking a bath

[Beagledog]

Hi All,

I got a nice treat at Reifel Bird Sanctuary a few days ago. I came around a corner and a Group of Sandhills including the resident pair were having a bath in one of the ponds. I was on one of the smaller trails and as I approached I saw a group of photogs on the other side of the pond shooting my way so i slowed down and came upon a wonderful scene.

They shots were with the d850 and the 500PF. I was a little too close for some of the shots as they moved my direction as the bath went on, but I never change lenses when the action was on....

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

#1 settling into the tub....

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

#2 washing the face.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

#3 flap those wings

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

#4 feeling good.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

#5 a good wing flap and we are good to go...

Cheers,
alexis and Georgie Beagle

"Baths??? I'm a beagle I don't like getting wet..." - Georgie Beagle

 

[Allan]

Nice series - did they fly off right after the bath or stay in the pond?

 

[Beagledog]

Nice series - did they fly off right after the bath or stay in the pond?

Thanks Allan, They stayed around but wandered off deeper in the grasses. Most of the photogs wandered off and a spent a bit of time just watching their behavior. (ok I did shoot about 400 frames.... over about an hour).

Cheers alexis and Georgie Beagle

"remember if the film days when you would shoot a roll and everybody would ask why you shot so many shots?" - Georgie Beagle

 

[Louis Champan]

Nice set, even at Bosque I've never seen them taking a bath. Good ones.

 

[Butlerkid]

Excellent shots! That last one is superb!

 

[Beagledog]

Nice set, even at Bosque I've never seen them taking a bath. Good ones.

Thanks for the kind words Louie. I have never seen this behavior in the cranes either, it was a special event to watch.

Excellent shots! That last one is superb!

Thanks Karen, The pair in the picture are the breeding pair that are resident at Reifel, they are always together.

Cheers,
alexis and Georgie Beagle

 

[dossy]

Lovely! I love the red on their faces against the muted colors!

 

[Darrell C]

may be a sauna, don't see a soap tray, well done sir.

 

[Bohdan]

Great series...spin dry afterwards I suppose.

 

[Randy]

2 & 4 are my favs, so sharp
i'd remove the OOF bird in 4
p.s. can you display exif

 

[andreasb]

That's a a fun and nice set, I have never seen them do this either