Photographers take pictures of red-crowned cranes

Many photographers descended on Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido on Saturday to take pictures of red-crowned cranes, a protected species.

The Setsuri River, which flows through Tsurui Village near Kushiro city, serves as a nesting place for the cranes as it rarely freezes even during winter.

Usually, at this time of year, fog shrouds the birds, and the surface of the river shimmers reflecting the morning sunshine. This year, though, the breathtaking scenes did not appear because of relatively high temperatures.

About 20 photographers set up cameras equipped with a telephoto lens before dawn to capture moments of the birds wading through the river or flying over a bridge.

A man from Chiba Prefecture said he is sorry that temperatures are higher than usual. He added, however, that he will stay at the village to take beautiful photos.

Graceful figures of the cranes can be observed through around March in the region.