This area of Arizona is largely farms, ranches, small towns, old mines, and mountain ranges. It is quiet and the sky wide open to every horizon. Though the summers in the desert are formidable, the winters are moderate, sometimes chilly, and often quite windy. I visit Arizona often to see family and friends and always take an opportunity to venture out with the camera to find something new. This time: wintering cranes gathering in the Whitewater Draw northeast of Bisbee. Thousands of cranes feed in the surrounding farms in the mornings and return to their nesting area in the afternoon. It was a very windy afternoon this trip. The large birds often seemed suspended in the air, navigating the gusts, and adjusting to land in a most graceful manner.
Formation
With large wingspans, these cranes seem to hover on the gusts of wind and appear a little uneasy as they attempt to land.
In addition to the cranes, I pay an annual visit into Ramsey Canyon in the Huachuca Mountains. The area is run by the Nature Conservancy and is a peaceful, easy hike along the creek where birds, deer, and other wildlife can often be spotted. There are ruins and foundations of old cabins sparking thoughts of old west living.
Ramsey Canyon Bridge and Creek
Cranes gather in these wetlands during the winter. As Spring and Summer approach, and the waters dry up, the cranes migrate on to more comfortable climates.
Strutting
Bark Detail - Ramsey Canyon
Creek through Ramsey Canyon