19th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Crane Feathers

While hiking along a trail within Sweetwater Wetlands Park I came across this incredibly tame pair of Sandhill Cranes. The pair allowed onlookers to get quite close to them, which made for interesting photo ops. I decided to take the opportunity to photograph the incredibly beautiful feathers of one of the birds. I love the shadows, contours, and colors the feathers showcase, something I normally would not have noticed seeing the birds further away.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 11.2016
Date Uploaded: 11.2021
Photo Location: Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Copyright: © Mitch Walters