Cranes on camera

The balletic courtship dance of Common Cranes was filmed at an RSPB nature reserve this February – believed to be some of the best footage of this distinctive behaviour shot in Britain:

Catching Cranes on film – the hidden world of a wildlife camera operator. Video: RSPB

To capture the magical moments, cameraman Nicholas Rodd spent eight days quietly watching from his hide on our West Sedgemoor nature reserve on the Somerset Levels. Just a few decades ago, such a sight was unknown in Britain, where Cranes were driven extinct by the 16th century.

Following the incredible success of reintroductions by the Great Crane Project from 2010, as well as natural recolonisation, the latest breeding survey revealed 71 pairs of these birds across the UK last year.

Hidden camera captures cranes in the wild. Video: The RSPB