This guy was standing in my yard when I walked out.

[jem]

Great capture! So how long did your neighbor hold still for you?

I always wondered how you were taking so many terrific coastal bird photos in Atlanta. Now it all makes sense! I do love living on the coast.

[pingflood]

Hehe, yeah, I moved down here a while ago. Still spend a few days a week in ATL but much prefer this place. Mr Heron was just hanging out for a while and then slowly walked down to the lagoon with no concern for my presence.

[imtheguy]

OMG, I think I need to give up on Herons for a while as I will never come close to that portrait! You paid him off with Herring, yes? So what was the actual distance? Even cropped 100% with your 400mm you must have been able to high-five him when it was over. Did you happen to have your camera all ready to go or did you step outside first and have to tip-toe back inside to get it? Yes, I want to hear the whole story to go to sleep by tonight. I was up at 5AM yesterday to stake out a great marshy point for sunrise and after 2 hours never saw the first one so I am still disgusted.

Congratulations on a fantastic shot.

[pingflood]

Thanks. I was actually walking out the door with my camera with plans to head to the local photo store to find a good bag for when I take it bike riding, and this guy was just standing there looking at me. I would say I was around 20 feet away or so for that shot -- my 400 won't focus closer than 3.5 meters and it was a bit past that.

I can relate to the 5AM thing -- can't begin to count the # of times I've headed to the beach at sunrise with great expectations only to come back with no or really crap shots. Birds and light tend not to cooperate with you 90% of the time, but when they do it makes everything worthwhile and you forget about the bug bites, the early mornings, the missed shots, and the rain...

[juanraortiz]

You've got an incredible neighbours and they are lucky to have such a photographer as a neighbour if they need an ID photo