Growing up

HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
edited May 25, 2008 in Wildlife
Hi Y'all,

Got back from Sedona yesterday and its good to be back. I got to give my new 14-24 2.8 a workout and did mostly landscapes.

Anyhow this season a bunch of GBHs were nesting in the Viera Wetlands and I got the chance to capture the process.

In December the GBHs were nesting and mating
235803535_Qvx2x-XL.jpg

235803719_dkfxZ-XL.jpg

by the first week of February the chicks were just about visible
254505483_4bZck-XL.jpg

254505514_Zfx6C-XL.jpg

254505561_5pfQn-XL.jpg

by 2/17 the chicks were easily visible
257577792_VqmP2-XL.jpg

the third chick in the back did not survive, it was harassed to death by its older siblings
257578038_EtMnA-XL.jpg

by 3/16 they were looking like GBHs
266648910_XtA8E-XL.jpg

by 3/27 they were giving their parents hell
273381746_YXNXT-XL.jpg

and finally the day. April 30, that all parents dream about, the last chick leaves the nest and starts making their own way. Here the last chick to leave the nest (I named him Jason after my son) starts to hunt on his own and catches a fine stick.
287653642_2EHzd-XL.jpg

287653570_z8Tx8-XL.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

  • bfjrbfjr Registered Users Posts: 10,980 Major grins
    edited May 17, 2008
    Welcome Home thumb.gif

    hope you had a good one

    nice return post ylsuper.gif

    Someday I'll give Growin Up a try rolleyes1.gif
    Benjamin
    My Galleries
    Flicker
    G+
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited May 17, 2008
    Very nice, Harry. thumb.gif

    I was hoping for something like this...but a Great Horned Owl had his own plan. I've seen another GBH scouting the nest but I think it's probably too late now.
  • dbaker1221dbaker1221 Registered Users Posts: 4,482 Major grins
    edited May 17, 2008
    great series Harry.. Thanks for sharing itwings.gif :ivar
    **If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
    Dave
  • jonh68jonh68 Registered Users Posts: 2,711 Major grins
    edited May 18, 2008
    Nice shots on the progression of the chicks!
    www.jonimages.com
  • GiphsubGiphsub Registered Users Posts: 2,662 Major grins
    edited May 18, 2008
    Cool set Harry clap.gif Great to see the progression. I hope Jason learned to tell the difference between a stick and a fish! :lol:
    Mike Helbig

    http://www.michaelhelbigphotography.com
    http://www.thewildpig.blogspot.com
  • raptorcaptorraptorcaptor Registered Users Posts: 3,968 Major grins
    edited May 19, 2008
    Very cool set Harry! Would love to see some of the landscape shots from Sedona! mwink.gif
    Glenn

    My website | NANPA Member
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited May 19, 2008
    bfjr wrote:
    Welcome Home thumb.gif

    hope you had a good one

    nice return post ylsuper.gif

    Someday I'll give Growin Up a try rolleyes1.gif

    Thanks Ben, I had a fine time in Sedona.
    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!"
  • PrescottPhotogPrescottPhotog Registered Users Posts: 1,174 Major grins
    edited May 19, 2008
    Fun series.. All our GBH nests are in very heavy cover and very tall trees.. all I get is an occasional eyeball and a bunch of branches. Yours seem to be totally out in the open in the type of tree they nest in.
    Sad to hear the little one didn't survive.
    '
    Prescott Photog, Chris - " One Shot, One Still "
    '
    Canon CPS Member
    SmugMug Pro User - www.PrescottOutdoors.net
    NAPP Member..Click for Info
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    Ric Grupe wrote:
    Very nice, Harry. thumb.gif

    I was hoping for something like this...but a Great Horned Owl had his own plan. I've seen another GBH scouting the nest but I think it's probably too late now.

    Thanks Ric it was very interesting to follow the chicks development. Hope you have better luck next season.
    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 May 20, 2008
    dbaker1221 wrote:
    great series Harry.. Thanks for sharing itwings.gif :ivar

    Thanks Dave, glad you liked it.
    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!"
  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    WOW! Loved them all, but the last is my favorite. What did you use?:bowdown.gif
    Dan
    http://danielplumer.com/
    Facebook Fan Page
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    dlplumer wrote:
    WOW! Loved them all, but the last is my favorite. What did you use?:bowdown.gif

    Thanks Dan. The nest shots were with the D300 and the 500mm f/4 + 1.4 TC. The last two images were captured with the D3 and the 300mm f/4 + 1.7 TC.
    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!"
  • MaestroMaestro Registered Users Posts: 5,395 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    Great series Harry. Nice light in those pics as well along with beautiful detail and story. I hope Jason has honed his hunting skills now to actually find living things to eat instead of inanimate objects. rolleyes1.gif
    Stephen
    www.capture-the-pixel.com

  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited May 21, 2008
    jonh68 wrote:
    Nice shots on the progression of the chicks!

    Thaks for stopping by and taking a look.
    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!"
  • GaleGale Registered Users Posts: 1,052 Major grins
    edited May 21, 2008
    Fantastic Harry
    Beautiful images and story

    So sorry I missed it.
    Well manybe next year

    See ya soon
    Best Regards
    Gale

    www.pbase.com/techwish
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited May 21, 2008
    Giphsub wrote:
    Cool set Harry clap.gif Great to see the progression. I hope Jason learned to tell the difference between a stick and a fish! :lol:

    Thanks Mike and he's still alive so I figure he has learned the difference.
    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 May 23, 2008
    raptorcaptor wrote:
    Very cool set Harry! Would love to see some of the landscape shots from Sedona! mwink.gif

    Thanks Glenn and I hope to start processing my Sedona shots in a day or two.
    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 May 24, 2008
    PrescottPhotog wrote:
    Fun series.. All our GBH nests are in very heavy cover and very tall trees.. all I get is an occasional eyeball and a bunch of branches. Yours seem to be totally out in the open in the type of tree they nest in.
    Sad to hear the little one didn't survive.

    Thanks Chris, we were lucky this year because there were a number of GBH nests that were in pretty good locations to capture.

    Egrets and Herons usually have 2-3 chicks. When there are three chicks its pretty common for the third to be a few days or a week younger than its siblings. The youngest usually don't survive as its older siblings harass it or keep it from getting fed.
    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 May 25, 2008
    Maestro wrote:
    Great series Harry. Nice light in those pics as well along with beautiful detail and story. I hope Jason has honed his hunting skills now to actually find living things to eat instead of inanimate objects. rolleyes1.gif

    Thanks Stephen, he's still alive so I'm guessing that he has it worked out.
    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 May 25, 2008
    Gale wrote:
    Fantastic Harry
    Beautiful images and story

    So sorry I missed it.
    Well manybe next year

    See ya soon

    Thanks Gale and you should be able to get them next year.
    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!"
Sign In or Register to comment.