The Hyperactive Green Heron

HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
edited March 15, 2005 in Wildlife
Hi you'll,

During my brief stay in Florida I've had the chance to shoot Green Herons on a numbe rof occasions. They are very shy and scare off easily. When you od get a chance to catch one the main poise is like a statute and they remain frozen until they see lunch and then they strike qucikly and return back to their watchful pose. A couple of days ago I ran into a Green Heron who definitely was out of the mainstream.

this is the one of the normal poses
17509097-L.jpg

Instead of being in a tree or bush or on the shoreline he was standing on water lillies

17509099-L.jpg

Instead of standing stock still he was an active little chap
17509096-L.jpg

he was quite animated
17509106-L.jpg

He even let me get my first ever half-way decent flight shot of a green heron
17509108-L.jpg
Harry
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"

Comments

  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited March 14, 2005
    GReat find, Harry! He must have gotten confused in a strange environment. Probably forgot who he is. I came to the conclusion that those don't move for the same reason I don't move. They think if they don't move no one, or bird, can see them.

    Really good shots.

    I have not been out of the house since Saturday. I think I will take a run in the car to see if the birds are still gone. The problem is we are coming up on low tide again. I have never seen the tide so low as it was the other day.

    (There are people in this world who do not live by the ebb and flow of the tide. We not only have to worry about the light, we have to worry about the tide) 6 ft and more here, my father said a long time ago.

    ginger
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • jwearjwear Registered Users Posts: 8,013 Major grins
    edited March 14, 2005
    I think the word is out in heron town about you and the pics and he did not want to be a stick in the mud and here he is with his own photo shoot clap.gif new camera ????Jeff
    Jeff W

    “PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”

    http://jwear.smugmug.com/
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited March 14, 2005
    ginger_55 wrote:
    GReat find, Harry! He must have gotten confused in a strange environment. Probably forgot who he is. I came to the conclusion that those don't move for the same reason I don't move. They think if they don't move no one, or bird, can see them.

    Really good shots.

    I have not been out of the house since Saturday. I think I will take a run in the car to see if the birds are still gone. The problem is we are coming up on low tide again. I have never seen the tide so low as it was the other day.

    (There are people in this world who do not live by the ebb and flow of the tide. We not only have to worry about the light, we have to worry about the tide) 6 ft and more here, my father said a long time ago.

    ginger
    Hey Ginger,

    The Green Herons stay in their frozen mode because they are hunting. Once lunch appears they move fast, eat and then resume the pose. Thanks for the kind words on the pics.

    While birds are fun I have managed to get off 20,000 or so pics of different subject matter also. If there are no birds around I'm sure there are other photo ops.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited March 14, 2005
    jwear wrote:
    I think the word is out in heron town about you and the pics and he did not want to be a stick in the mud and here he is with his own photo shoot clap.gif new camera ????Jeff
    Hey Jeff,

    Its about time that those birs understand that I want some action in their shots. :D These were taken with the D2H.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited March 14, 2005
    Great series of shot of a Green Heron Harry. Well done.

    Did you use fill flash or a better beamer for some of these shots? Not the first one, but some of the later ones?
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited March 15, 2005
    pathfinder wrote:
    Great series of shot of a Green Heron Harry. Well done.

    Did you use fill flash or a better beamer for some of these shots? Not the first one, but some of the later ones?
    Thanks PF. Only natural light used. The better beamer is on my wish list though.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • Steve CaviglianoSteve Cavigliano Super Moderators Posts: 3,599 moderator
    edited March 15, 2005
    Very nice Harry thumb.gifthumb.gif


    You're right, those little guys are usually very skittish and they like to hide, or stick close to cover. I don't know how you coaxed this guy into putting on a show for you. Maybe he noticed the D2H and thought he'd see himself in print mwink.gif You weren't, by chance, wearing your National Geographic cap were you? :lol

    J/K looks like you're having fun bonding with your new cam clap.gif

    Thanks for sharing,
    Steve

    Depending on how far away he was, the BB might have fried him....lol
    SmugMug Support Hero
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited March 15, 2005
    Steve Cavigliano wrote:
    Very nice Harry thumb.gifthumb.gif


    You're right, those little guys are usually very skittish and they like to hide, or stick close to cover. I don't know how you coaxed this guy into putting on a show for you. Maybe he noticed the D2H and thought he'd see himself in print mwink.gif You weren't, by chance, wearing your National Geographic cap were you? :lol

    J/K looks like you're having fun bonding with your new cam clap.gif

    Thanks for sharing,
    Steve

    Depending on how far away he was, the BB might have fried him....lol
    Hey Steve,

    I never saw a Green Heron act this way. I think he might have landed in a patch of wacky weed or something. :D

    The D2H is a great camera for wildlife shooting. Getting off 8 shots a second and the fast focusing is getting me shots that I never would have gotten before.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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