I was trying to get into a position to get a picture of a Lewis’s Woodpecker, a rare sighting in Banff National Park. I had only seen one once before and I was trying to see if I could get at least one good picture of the species. Just as I was ready to get a good picture, it would move as it searched for food. It was not moving away from me, but kept going to the other side of a fallen tree.
All of sudden I heard loud calls from a Sandhill Crane, also a rare bird during spring in Banff, according to the new Banff NP Birding Checklist. The intense calls went on for more than a minute, coming from the other side of the trees that were beside. After several minutes, still trying to get a good picture, the woodpecker flew where I could not follow. I decided now it was time to look for the crane.
I walked through the woods and about 40 meters away was the crane. It was moving and I kept my distance, moved parallel to it. I have seen Sandhill Cranes in Banff several times. But, I was still waiting for a good picture. Unlike the experience with the Lewis’s Woodpecker, I got the picture I wanted. As well an out of focus male Bufflehead Duck in the background. And later I learned from friends the reason for all those calls had to do with two coyotes that were in the area. This large bird with a wingspan of two meters was not going to let the coyotes get anywhere near it.
