We took a trip to Hokkaido, Japan to see wintertime courtship displays of Japanese Red-crowned Cranes, known in Japan as "Tancho" (Grus japonensis). Tancho are an endangered species, having only about 2800 individuals living in the wild, with about half surviving in Japan. While we were on the island of Hokkaido, we stayed at the Hickory Wind Wilderness Lodge, operated by Makoto Ando (a certified guide, professional photographer, and accomplished blues guitarist), his wife, Shinobu (a Master Chef), and their assistant, Kenta Mori. Our first morning we were out the door early and greeted with a beautiful (and very brisk) sunrise to introduce us to the Tancho. This picture was taken at a nighttime roost in the Setsuri River just downstream from the Otowa-bashi Bridge.
Japanese Red-crowned Cranes (Grus japonensis), aka: “Tancho,” early in the morning at their night-time roost on the Setsuri River, Hokkaido, Japan