Heron Hunt

Heron Hunt · Posted by *8540tomg*, 09-12-2009, 12:09 PM

Stumbled across this fellow today. He didn't let me get very close and there was little cover. None-the- less it was nice to see one in the wild.

K10, SMC Pentax M 400/5.6

Cheers

Tom G

*jmc7104* · 09-12-2009, 12:15 PM

Actually I rhink what you have there is a White Eagret. Herons are Blue/Grey. However still takes nothing away from your photo's Both birds are difficult to capture. jim

*8540tomg* · 09-12-2009, 01:11 PM

Thanks Jim,

Seems you are correct. Egrets and Herons are on the same page of my Peterson Filed Guide. Accordiing to the guide this is a Great Egret " a large ,stately, slender heron with a yellow bill." I don't recall seeing one before and the guide indicates this fellow is towards the northern limit of his summer dispersal range.

Tom G

*Jimbo* · 09-12-2009, 01:22 PM

Tom, what a beautiful bird and it looks like the lighting was good. There are a couple of reall standouts. [#4, 5 and 6 are my favorites.] Well done! We don't get those fellows out here! JIM

*8540tomg* · 09-12-2009, 03:52 PM

Thanks Jim.

It is a beautiful bird and has a very large wing span. The lighting was great but I was so far away I had to crop all these shots at least 100%.

That's really pushing the limits of the old M 400/5.6. I metered using the sunny 16 rule ~ f16 at ISO 100 with a shutter speed of 100. It isn't very clear but he actually caught a fish or frog on that strike. You can just make it out in shot 6.

If he is there tomorrow I'll try again.

Tom G

*borno* · 09-12-2009, 04:40 PM

I like the first one, but I'd straighten it some (mine usually go the other way

) It's not easy to get close to those Egrets. We usually get some here this time of year,but I've yet to get a good shot this summer. I check some favorite spots about every day trying to get a good shot, it can be addicting.I think a couple Herons are so used to me I can get pretty close, not so for those darn kingfishers.

Lowell Goudge · 09-13-2009, 05:46 AM

Originally Posted by 8540tomg

Thanks Jim,

Seems you are correct. Egrets and Herons are on the same page of my Peterson Filed Guide. Accordiing to the guide this is a Great Egret " a large ,stately, slender heron with a yellow bill." I don't recall seeing one before and the guide indicates this fellow is towards the northern limit of his summer dispersal range.

Tom G

Tom

Nice shots. Are these with the 400 5.6 or your 300 F4. Regardless I don't see the dreaded PF. os exposure and lighting are well controllled.

As for the egret, they have become incresingly more common in the last few years. I have seen them regularly in toronto, and also a little more north, where I never saw them before. Ultil the last few years I only saw them in florida on vacation.

*8540tomg* · 09-13-2009, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell Goudge

Tom

Nice shots. Are these with the 400 5.6 or your 300 F4. Regardless I don't see the dreaded PF. os exposure and lighting are well controllled.

As for the egret, they have become incresingly more common in the last few years. I have seen them regularly in toronto, and also a little more north, where I never saw them before. Ultil the last few years I only saw them in florida on vacation.

Thanks Lowell

I'm not really happy with any of these images as I was just too far away. What's the old maxim "get a big lens and get close?" Well I got the big lens but struck out on part two. I any case it was a thrill to see such a bird in the area.

This was the M 400/5.6 Lowell. Don't really get PF issues with it unless the birds are surrounded by branches. Unfortunately, they usually are.

As for the Egrets coming further north perhaps it is a result of global warming. I'm going to see if I can find this guy again later today.

Cheers

Tom G