Great Blue Heron thread

[Steve S]

This thread is just getting better and better.

Not even going to try and comment on individual images. Am just going to slowly scroll through them, enjoy them enormously and remain open-jawed at skill deployed in capturing them and presenting them as the finished article.

Thank you donald, you are too kind. Glad you're enjoying this.

[Steve S]

A couple flying shots (couldn't help the blown backgrounds)...............

[Steve S]

Time to roll the eggs............................

[Steve S]

A breeding pair on nest..............................

[Steve S]

This is a 16 shot breeding sequence. The male bird was out catching dinner and just returned to the nest. Quite often the female will squat, with wings out, and stretch her head and neck straight up.(missed that part) Some kind of greeting or something. Then a couple of minutes later they began to breed...............................

[Steve S]

[Boatman]

Do I get points for most birds? I've got five herons in this shot but clearly it is not nearly up to Steve's high standard. GREAT shots, Steve. I'll need a much longer lens or a boat to move in on these guys. They are out in the middle of a swamp. Shot with m43 140mm. Guess I could try my old 135mm and 2x teleconverter - that would be equal to 540mm

[jeeperman]

So.....had a convo with Ol'Blue today. He agreed to model for me. His modeling fee......20 min of sneaking through the mud and blackberries, ouch! Well worth every thorn being dug out now.

[Steve S]

Do I get points for most birds? I've got five herons in this shot but clearly it is not nearly up to Steve's high standard. GREAT shots, Steve. I'll need a much longer lens or a boat to move in on these guys. They are out in the middle of a swamp. Shot with m43 140mm. Guess I could try my old 135mm and 2x teleconverter - that would be equal to 540mm

Yes you get credit for 5 in one shot. Your name is boatman and you don't have a boat

[Steve S]

So.....had a convo with Ol'Blue today. He agreed to model for me. His modeling fee......20 min of sneaking through the mud and blackberries, ouch! Well worth every thorn being dug out now.

Nice job paul, you got alot of great detail in those shots. How close did you get?

[jeeperman]

Thanks Steve, by the time I crawled out from the blackberries I was about 20-25ft. When I could see he was looking at me I sat quite still and he would continue to clean himeself. I would have got some flying shots but I was not yet ready when the cell phone rang and off he went.

[Dave Humphries]

Nice series Paul,

It looks so wet there!

[jeeperman]

Thanks Dave, and it is even wetter than it looks.

[ScoutR]

This is a 16 shot breeding sequence. The male bird was out catching dinner and just returned to the nest. Quite often the female will squat, with wings out, and stretch her head and neck straight up.(missed that part) Some kind of greeting or something. Then a couple of minutes later they began to breed...............................

Great series Steve, but you missed the last shot where he rolls over and goes to sleep.

[ScoutR]

So.....had a convo with Ol'Blue today. He agreed to model for me. His modeling fee......20 min of sneaking through the mud and blackberries, ouch! Well worth every thorn being dug out now.

Nice!!! All 3 are exceptional, but #1 is special

[jeeperman]

Thanks Wendy, I like that first one as well. Here is the last click after my cell rang and spooked him.

[Jan de Vries]

This picture gives me the feeling that something is not right. It's just coincidence, but his neck seems very loose. The itchy spot is also found.



The Jurassic Park feeling I get by similarity of the picture with the raptors in the movie.



I like this thread very much. So much great shots. The serie of Steve is amazing. I hope that Steve continues a long time placing such great pictures in this thread.
Regards Jan.

[MiniChris]

I'm off today to the Egret and Heron rookeries armed with a 70-300 and 2x tele extender...and of course, the trusty Monfrotto. I am going to shoot both handeld and tripod. Should be interesting. The trick for me with the Sigma lens is to find the sweetspot combo.

[Steve S]

This picture gives me the feeling that something is not right. It's just coincidence, but his neck seems very loose. The itchy spot is also found.



The Jurassic Park feeling I get by similarity of the picture with the raptors in the movie.



I like this thread very much. So much great shots. The serie of Steve is amazing. I hope that Steve continues a long time placing such great pictures in this thread.
Regards Jan.

Nice shots jan, your birds seem to have a slightly different color phase. Are they all like that, or just this particular bird?

[Steve S]

I'm off today to the Egret and Heron rookeries armed with a 70-300 and 2x tele extender...and of course, the trusty Monfrotto. I am going to shoot both handeld and tripod. Should be interesting. The trick for me with the Sigma lens is to find the sweetspot combo.

Good luck chris, hope you get some keepers.