Postcard From Modoc Summer Home of California's Greater Sandhill Cranes |
Postcard From Modoc National Wildlife
Refuge; Summer Home of California's Greater
Sandhill Cranes
In the extreme northeast area of California there is an oasis for wildlife in the
high desert. Fed by the Pit River watershed is a wide valley of wet meadows,
ponds and fields. This is one summer home of California's Greater Sandhill
Cranes. It is a protected area managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
known as the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge. The Greater Sandhill Cranes
of the Central Valley migrate north in the spring to return to their traditional
nesting territories. Mated pairs claim their summer turf year after year to
breed and raise their young. In the fall they bring their young back to the
Central Valley to spend the winter in the wetlands and surrounding fields that
have been their homes for thousands of years.
This video / photographic / audio essay is a glimpse of the Crane's spring and
summer home and the vibrant community of creatures that bring the wetlands
to life. It is inspired by the volunteer work of Save Our Sandhill Cranes and
made possible by the dedicated staff of the Refuge. The value of maintaining,
protecting and promoting wetlands can not be over stated. It is critical that
this important habitat be honored and allowed to flourish.
You can view web enabled versions of the show here. The video files are
posted in both low and high resolution. Please allow the file to completely
load before pressing the play button again. Let the show run through
completely on the first viewing. After the first complete viewing you will be
able to use the player controls. Individual images are best viewed in the image
gallery where they can be enlarged.
Scroll down and choose your preferred resolution. Click the "play" control
and go get a cup of coffee while it loads. Turn your volume up and you will
hear the show when it begins. Let the show play through completely before
restarting from the beginning. After it has played through once press play
again to view. If you press play to view the show before it has completely
loaded it will begin to play but stop during playback. If the show stops during
the first playback have another cup and allow it to finish the download. Then
press play again. After the show plays through completely the first time it will
play normally and all of the player controls will be active.
The high resolution version is 4x sharper than the low resolution version
(with much smoother transitions) but does not compare to the DVD on a
plasma screen with high quality audio equipment (or head phones).
LoRes = 53 Mb @ 428 kbps
HiRes = 148 Mb @ 1638 kbps
Runtime = 12:28
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| Postcard From Modoc High Resolution Caution! This is a very large file and will require several minutes to download. See note above (yes, actually read the directions). This version is not recommended for viewing with less than a DSL connection. |
| Postcard From Modoc Low Resolution |
| Parabolic stereo microphone recording the Postcard From Modoc soundtrack. |
Contact us for DVD ordering
information. The price is $10 (plus
$2.50 S&H, in the USA, for the
Hybrid DVD which includes MP3 of
soundtrack (for download),
PC Autoplay and PC Screen Saver (on
PC only) versions of the show. The
DVD will play on a MAC with DVD
player software.
Bulk & non-profit / educational
institution rates are also available.
50% of the purchase price will be
donated to Save Our Sandhill Cranes
( a 501 C 3 non profit). The rest will
be used to continue the development
of hybrid DVD (Audio/Video and
DVD Data on the same disk)
educational media.
information. The price is $10 (plus
$2.50 S&H, in the USA, for the
Hybrid DVD which includes MP3 of
soundtrack (for download),
PC Autoplay and PC Screen Saver (on
PC only) versions of the show. The
DVD will play on a MAC with DVD
player software.
Bulk & non-profit / educational
institution rates are also available.
50% of the purchase price will be
donated to Save Our Sandhill Cranes
( a 501 C 3 non profit). The rest will
be used to continue the development
of hybrid DVD (Audio/Video and
DVD Data on the same disk)
educational media.
Soundtrack may be played
independently and will play
continuously until stopped.
(11.7 MB Mp3). Mp3 version is
available on the Hybrid DVD
for download.
independently and will play
continuously until stopped.
(11.7 MB Mp3). Mp3 version is
available on the Hybrid DVD
for download.
Crane Connections
Links to Sandhill Crane
information & media
Links to Sandhill Crane
information & media
| Summer 2009 Update ShareTheRoad Productions returned to the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge in June of '09. We packed the long lens for the DSLR as well as a High Definition Video cam. Video previews of the 2009 migration to Modoc are viewable (standard definition web resolution) at the bottom of this page as well as Badgers @ Play our newest short vid (children's version). |
Below are short preview video clips (Vid Snaps) of the amazing summer home of California's Greater Sandhill
Cranes. As new clips are gleaned from over 12 hours of field video recordings we will post them here. Sound is
"actuality" and contains the shutter release of the DSLR capturing stills. The end product will contain field audio
recording without human noise. Photographs will be posted in a gallery and a link will be provided. Stay tuned.
Check back often. This collection will grow. We are very appreciative of the support that we received from the
staff at the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge. We hope that you all enjoy these early draft releases.
Remember that the vid doesn't start loading untill you press "play". It may then take several minutes to begin as
it loads. Let it play through completely the first time.
Cranes. As new clips are gleaned from over 12 hours of field video recordings we will post them here. Sound is
"actuality" and contains the shutter release of the DSLR capturing stills. The end product will contain field audio
recording without human noise. Photographs will be posted in a gallery and a link will be provided. Stay tuned.
Check back often. This collection will grow. We are very appreciative of the support that we received from the
staff at the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge. We hope that you all enjoy these early draft releases.
Remember that the vid doesn't start loading untill you press "play". It may then take several minutes to begin as
it loads. Let it play through completely the first time.
The First Hours
Video documentation includes six hours from the Nest
Cam as the young colt gains strength during his / her
very first day.
Runtime: 3:47
Video documentation includes six hours from the Nest
Cam as the young colt gains strength during his / her
very first day.
Runtime: 3:47
Twin Cranes
This pair of very young cranes stayed close to the adults
as they explored their new territory. The next day there
was only one.
Runtime :43
This pair of very young cranes stayed close to the adults
as they explored their new territory. The next day there
was only one.
Runtime :43
Unseen Family
In a grain field just east of Hiway 395 a Crane family
with 2 young colts all but disappears.
Runtime: :59
In a grain field just east of Hiway 395 a Crane family
with 2 young colts all but disappears.
Runtime: :59
Strolling To Roost
With the male nowhere in sight a female Crane escorts
her colt to a safe roosting spot (an island in North Teal
Pond).
Runtime: 3:59
With the male nowhere in sight a female Crane escorts
her colt to a safe roosting spot (an island in North Teal
Pond).
Runtime: 3:59
Duck Defense
We were told that Cranes have been seen eating little
ducklings. These babies were well protected.
Runtime: 1:52
We were told that Cranes have been seen eating little
ducklings. These babies were well protected.
Runtime: 1:52
| Video Previews of the 2009 ShareTheRoad migration to Modoc |
Along with 12 hours of field high definition video we also brought
back some very interesting images. They will be posted in a gallery
as they "develop".
back some very interesting images. They will be posted in a gallery
as they "develop".
Badger Pups @ Play (full edit)
Badgers caught in the act! Playing, eating, digging and
brawling, these two young pups show us what it means
to be a badger. Their spirit is plain to see as they
develop their strength and determination through
playful, scrappy brawling. This is the children's version.
An Adult Content version is viewable on YouTube.
Soundtrack: Thursday Afternoon by www.stock20.com.
Runtime: 3 minutes / 22.2mb
DVD available.
Badgers caught in the act! Playing, eating, digging and
brawling, these two young pups show us what it means
to be a badger. Their spirit is plain to see as they
develop their strength and determination through
playful, scrappy brawling. This is the children's version.
An Adult Content version is viewable on YouTube.
Soundtrack: Thursday Afternoon by www.stock20.com.
Runtime: 3 minutes / 22.2mb
DVD available.
© 2005 - 2010 ShareTheRoad Productions