Bird Photo Competition 1 2014 : Entry Number 292

This 'shall we dance?' pose perfectly conveys the elegance of cranes' well-known courtship displays.

Thank you SO much for choosing my image for an Award of Excellence. This image was captured on a trip to Japan this February. We were rewarded with some beautiful displays of behavior by the Red-Capped Cranes!! Shot with a Nikon D600 handheld using Nikon 80-400 VR at 400mm, 1/1250 at f/11. Minimal post-processing in Lightroom. This is my first photo contest and I am beyond thrilled to be recognized!! Quite honored!