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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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