Fifty shades of grey

\"Throughout history, birds have been viewed as animals of special value and have been ladened with meanings often derived from legends and stories that have survived over many generations. The Crane may conceivably be the oldest bird on earth; there is fossil proof that they existed over 60 million years ago. Greek and Roman myth tended to portray the dance of cranes as a love of joy and a celebration of life. The crane was usually considered to be a bird of Apollo, the sun god, who heralded in Spring and light. Throughout all of Asia, the crane has been a symbol of happiness and eternal youth. In Japanese, Chinese, and Korean tradition, cranes stand for good fortune and longevity because of its fabled life span of a thousand years.\"
Actually we visited Jean-Marie this weekend for wild cats. But again, weather conditions were poor, and the cats (as well as foxes) remained in the forest.

Hence we switched to cranes, and tried to portray them in a winterish landscape.

Early mourning, cranes leave their roost and head for the surrounding fields.

It was very windy in the Lorraine this weekend, which made photography hard. Yet on the other hand, the cranes make use of this to jump around.

It starts with trumpeting and showing of your big gear (i.e. wings)

And then taking off vertically. This realy is amazing to see.

Like Paul Anka said: Put your hand on my shooooolder...

In between we photographed a fieldfare.

Squadron of cranes arriving