Mission of the Month: Capturing Imagery of Critical Sandhill Crane Habitat
The area surrounding the Sacramento Delta wetlands are primarily used for agriculture. The land serves as daytime feeding and loafing ground for Sandhill Cranes during their migration journey. Photo: Robert Steelquist | Pilot: Louise Mateos
Sandhill Cranes are one of the oldest living bird species, with a fossil record stretching back millions of years. Today, however, their continued success faces growing challenges as urban expansion and climate change reshape the landscapes they depend on.
As cities push into rural areas, vital crane habitat disappears—along with the agricultural lands and wetlands that provide food and refuge during migration. In California’s Sacramento Delta, these pressures are intensifying, putting both cranes and the ecosystems they rely on at risk.
Photographer and journalist Robert Steelquist is in the midst of a six-year project that will culminate in a book and public presentations aimed at inspiring conservation action and informing public decision-makers about the future of Sacramento Delta wetlands.
Gratitude In Flight
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LightHawk In The News
- Pilots, Wildlife, and A View for Good | Aviation International News
- Land values hold steady in Iowa after a year of uncertainty for farmers
- Development pressures have shrunk the Colorado River Delta
- 24 endangered sea turtles recovering in Florida after cold stunning off Cape Cod
- The wealthy profit from public lands, and taxpayers pick up the tab | High Country News
- 10m people are looking out my airplane’s door | Corporate Jet Investor
- Photos: 25 cold-stunned turtles rescued from Cape Cod Bay during bitter arctic blast
Photo of the Month
Photo by Abigail Keel
The Colorado River Delta marks the historic end of the Colorado River, a region that has been a focus of conservation efforts for decades due to prolonged drought and heavy water use by western cities and agricultural operations. Today, river water rarely reaches the ocean, leaving much of the delta dry except during occasional pulse flows.
To better understand the scale of these challenges, podcasters from The Mirage flew with LightHawk volunteer pilot Will Worthington to view the delta from above. During the flight, Abigail Keel captured this image out the window of Will’s plane, revealing both the stark realities and enduring beauty of the landscape.
Flying across the U.S.–Mexico border is a complex process, and Worthington is an experienced and accomplished pilot who regularly volunteers for these missions, helping partners gain the perspective needed to document change and inform conservation efforts.