Here is a heron picture, add YOURS (or other large bird)!

[Celebration]

Whew. My self imposed hiatus re: posting heron pictures is over (and I only had one tiny little lapse in there). I'm celebrating by posting this one, taken about three weeks ago--not posted for its photographic value, because the light was all wrong, but I am wondering if you can feel my astonishment in this picture. Please post your favorite heron or egret or other large bird (hawk, etc.) shots in this thread. Pretty please? If you do, I'll consider posting another one to this thread, that is probably a better photo than this.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. My evil nemesis bird

[Celebration]

3. huh

It just looks like an oil painting, that is all.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

6. I don't know if you remember

I had to stalk this creepy-spooky bird for a month or two before I got close enough to even make him out well. He was driving me nuts. I saw other people without cameras walking around within 10m of him, he no fly away. He sees a green Volvo... off he goes, not to return. I got up before dawn, froze my ass of in a blind, he no show. Walk back to car, drive over bridge, there he is, right where I had been.

this went on for quite a while. over the summer, I forgot about him,but I suspect he did not forget me.

fall comes.

cold day.

there he is....BAM

and here he is. I just noticed him the other day, flapping away as the green Volvo approached, so we may dance yet again

[Mira]

7. WORTH IT ! Truly N/T

[Celebration]

14. Remember

It's the journey, not the destination! Your story is exactly why I like to take pictures of birds.

[teamster633]

5. I can't beat that.

But I do have this...

[Celebration]

15. Look at that long neck

So different from WJMS picture's pose. Love the water in this one.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

20. mine is freezing

or he would never have allowed me that near

[Celebration]

21. I know what you mean

The colder and windier the weather, the close I can get to herons. Notice how close I was able to get to one when it was walking across the ice? And when I got a shot of the heron eating the fish it was probably in the low thirties with a twenty to thirty mph wind. They don't seem to pay as much attention to people when it is cold. They are back to being very skittish again.

[trusty elf]

11. Beautiful.

[qnr]

40. Beautiful, the color of the leaves and water compliment the grey of the heron so well, and

the branches compliment the feathers.

[Saphire]

2. here's one.

[Celebration]

4. I sure love the backdrop

I love the heron on the flagstones. I actually love the juxtaposition of nature vs. man made stuff--birds adapting to the circumstances. So my favorite pictures are like this--birds that ordinarily you would see out in nature existing with human structures, just because they are there.

I think the herons chased some of the egrets away here. I saw an egret at the lake and even have one picture, but since the herons arrived--none. They must be at a more remote lake.

[qnr]

41. Hard and soft, great combination! n/t

[Mira]

8. In the most natural of habitats - here is mine

[trusty elf]

12. That's cute, Mira.

[Celebration]

16. Not catching a fish in there, I hope

LOL! An even better example of nature adapting to humans.........

[qnr]

42. So that's how they stay so snowy white... periodic dunkings in chlorinated pools! n/t

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

9. I got this..........

not very good resolution but he was far away...........

[Celebration]

18. Still fun!

My fave are flying birds that are soaring like this.........

[qnr]

43. Nice. Haven't seen any of them since I moved south. n/t

[trusty elf]

10. Not a very good picture, but a VERY big bird (of sorts)!

:D

I was on this thing yesterday. It's the new giant Airbus

[Celebration]

17. Oh, cool!

Even my overseas flights have been on much smaller planes. Hope you had a nice trip! I have to say it doesn't look like you had to do much stalking though.

[qnr]

45. Depends upon you're interpretation of stalking, airports can be very 'skittish' around

people with cameras :)

[qnr]

46. Nice! - and great to have some items nearby for scale n/t

[trusty elf]

13. That's quite some wingspan!

Pretty dramatic moment to capture!

[Celebration]

19. most of my shots of herons flying

Are going away from me. A few are sideways. This is the first and only time that I have a picture of a heron flying directly at me, so I actually cherish this picture, even though technically it could have been a lot better, probably. I doubt if it landed more than eight to ten yards away from me.

[Mira]

22. One more from me

[Celebration]

23. That's a beautiful shot

Thanks!

Nothing like a sunset at the beach......

[qnr]

47. Wonderful shot, love the colors. Amazing what they can do with their necks n/t

[qnr]

24. Great catch! Here are a few more flying ones for you:

[Celebration]

25. Too, too much FUN!!

Wow, I can look at pictures of flying herons ALL DAY LONG!!

Keep 'em coming, everyone.

I can tell I am going to bookmark this thread.

Thanks!

[qnr]

48. heheh - thanks for starting it n/t

[Mira]

26. Each one outdoes the previous one, and then back again.

W I N N E R S

[Celebration]

27. yeah, and so now I know I need to do this

Get a flying heron from UNDERNEATH. I have NONE like that. That one is truly amazing.

[qnr]

49. Thank you. I've always liked the second one, I thought my panning worked really

well - most of the time it's "almost there" - in that one, the bird is quite sharp.

[Celebration]

28. Okay, a couple more to keep the ball rolling here

Here are some more heron pictures. I need to get my fill of herons and egrets for another month, at least........ please keep posting everyone.

BTW, in Astrology group they keep talking about totem animals. I have no idea what that is but maybe heron is my totem animal. It means it is some sort of symbol but beyond that I am clueless.



Note the second heron's bill in the lower right--they were both doing yoga I think.........

[qnr]

50. heheh - looks that way, and the first one is enjoying the show n/t

[Mz Pip]

29. Paddling Pelican

[Celebration]

30. This one is just gorgeous!

Beauty............... I love it! The very slight ripples in the water, showing in the reflection. WOW

(I truly love every picture in this thread.)

[qnr]

51. Beautiful, such a lovely reflection you've caught n/t

[Mira]

31. Last one from me

[Celebration]

32. an angelic egret?

It looks like a halo around the head. I love that reflection there.

[Mira]

33. Thanks - water from the pool, I'm sure . :)

[qnr]

52. I love how the neck and head follow the reflection of light, almost like the egret is glowing n/t

[Mz Pip]

34. I love these pictures

I have very little luck photographing things that fly and have never gotten close enough to a heron to get off a good shot, even with a telephoto.

Seeing all these beautiful pictures tells me that it can be done. I just need to be more patient and probably more quiet.

[Celebration]

35. once you get started

It's addictive. Taking pictures of birds, but especially big flying birds, is like a thrill to me. If you have a good place to go, you can get to know their habits, etc. Again, I am going to take a one month break from posting heron pictures, if only so we don't have to see WJMS's heroin thread 'til then, LOL!!

[hippywife]

36. Really old, really bad shot

taken through a dirty window but it's the only big bird shot I have.

Pileated Woodpecker

[qnr]

53. That's a great shot. Wonder if it's actually finding stuff to eat in the pole? n/t

[Celebration]

60. you know what?

We had a telephone pole eaten up by woodpeckers!! A phone guy came to fix our telephone, took one look at the pole in the back of our yard, and called an emergency hot line to get it replaced because the inside of the pole was gone and the thing was about to fall over. I hadn't noticed this of course. I asked what happened and he said "Woodpeckers!"

But we only get the little ones around here :shrug:

[qnr]

68. Interesting. I've never /really/ thought about it, but it just made sense to me that they

would be treated to deter insects, and with no insects the woodpeckers might explore, but not do a lot of damage.

[hippywife]

63. I'm not sure.

It didn't stay long. Just lighting on his way elsewhere, I think. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your photos.

BTW, I forgot to tell you in the lounge but I saw your accidental shot thread. I didn't know you were such a cutie. :D

:hi:

[qnr]

69. I'll get some up later, working on a project at the moment, and thanks :) don't get many

compliments, so it's gratefully accepted heheh.

[Celebration]

58. you are way ahead of me

I've never even SEEN one, much less gotten a picture.

[hippywife]

62. Don't feel bad...

I haven't seen one since. I had to get the pic really quick or not get it at all, so I shot it through the window. Just a fluke and not all the patience you've put into getting your heron shots. :D

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

64. another Pileated

I hope they come back, have not seen them yet this year

[hippywife]

66. Very cool.

Like I said, I haven't seen another one and I can't tell you how many years ago I took my photo. And around here we're always looking and listening for birds. Husband is a life-long birder. Seen lots of other woodpeckers, but not another pileated before or since.

[GentryDixon]

83. I have this big guy in my backyard in NC.

Very cool bird.

[qnr]

93. Here's a Ladder-Backed woodpecker to keep yours company:

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

37. how about an egret?

[qnr]

54. Whoa - The Great Mesmer Egret is trying to hypnotize us! n/t

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

38. geese? medium sized ones

but bigger than most

[HarveyDarkey]

44. Ever wonder why when geese are flying in a vee why one side is longer than the other?

Easy




























































There are more geese on that side

[qnr]

55. heheh n/t

[qnr]

56. Pretty - interesting colors n/t

[Celebration]

61. Pretty soon we need to start a duck/goose thread

There are just way too many geese around here to be a challenge. In fact, there are way too many geese period! But I'm definitely going to get some pictures when their chicks start hatching.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

39. Pelican...where is QNR?

this is his bird specialty

[qnr]

57. Yeah, I love me some pterodactyls :) - I'll put some up later, I've got to get some sleep,

need to get up early for a turtle patrol.

[Celebration]

59. spent a whole week at the beach wanting a pic like this

I only managed to get them from the side. This is really nice.

[Cassandra]

65. Crane Squared

I assume it's a crane. I've posted this guy before.

[Celebration]

67. Sure looks like a Great Blue Heron to me!!

My favorite pond reflections are just like that--green! It really makes the heron's reflection stand out. Thanks for posting--it's really a nice photo.

[Cassandra]

70. I googled and...

cranes have a straight neck and herons a crooked one. Otherwise they look the same. This one was a little grayer than it appears in the picture; this was with the point and shoot and I couldn't do anything about the white balance at the time.

Thanks.

[Celebration]

72. Really?

The ones that I shoot have a straight neck one minute and a crooked one the next (???) depending on how they hold it. They must be shape shifters. :)

LOL, I am no bird expert!!

[qnr]

79. The Straight/Crooked bit applies to when they're flying n/t

[Celebration]

74. Okay, I took these a couple of days ago

This is the same bird I promise. I sat there and just looked at the way the neck differed and tried to capture that in every shot.

[mth44sc]

71. this week

a two for with the gator...

[Celebration]

73. a gorgeous flying shot

And even though from the side back the whole face is showing :thumbsup:

[Cassandra]

75. Exquisite!

Note that the neck is crooked while flying. Cranes fly with the neck straight. More than you wanted to know, right? ;-)

[Mira]

76. Perfection. And oh so deceptive emotionally,

the beauty of nature captured at an almost frozen still moment, yet the colors and the water, and of course the gator, belie it all.
Glad you and your artistry showed up.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

77. Yours is wonderful!

I have no pictures of large birds, alas...

But I do like this one of a shorebird:

[Celebration]

82. I remember one like this from you

I loved it so much that when I went to the beach I paid lots of attention to the shadow of the wave on the beach.
Okay I am trying to post this from an iphone, I wonder if this will work.

[qnr]

92. great photo, I like the distinct colors in the beach and surf. That looks to be a Willet,

but I can't really tell.

[Mira]

78. What do I have here?

I have lots and lots of my photos that scroll by when my computer is idle and this one just showed up.
It's a big bird in Sarasota

[qnr]

80. A lovely Brown Pelican (or as I like to call them, Pterodactyls, because they remind me of

them in flight).

[Celebration]

88. what a sweetheart n/t

[qnr]

81. Doesn't look like anyone has posted one of these beauties yet:

A Roseate Spoonbill

[GentryDixon]

84. Lovely.

The first and only time I saw this beauty was on a trip to the Louisiana bayou in 2005.

[qnr]

89. Thanks, by a stroke of coincidence, this was shot in my "back yard" too.

Though it's the waterfront area of the apartment complex I live in.

[Celebration]

86. Zowie!!

Was that near Corpus Christi?

[qnr]

90. Yes, my back yard actually - I took it from the waterfront area of my apartment

complex as I was out shooting an Air Show from the nearby Naval base last year.

[GentryDixon]

85. I've posted this big guy before.

Taken in my backyard.

[Celebration]

87. what a back yard!!

You have a stream or something in the back yard?

The closest I got to something like that was my next door neighbor's rooster being mauled by a hawk. We didn't see it, but we did stop being awakened by cockle doodle doo.

Oh, a neighbor who was obviously on the way towards Alzheimer's told my daughter that a goose had been roaming our neighborhood, getting into swimming pools, etc. We sort of chuckled about that, while really feeling for him. We found out later he was right!! No pictures, though. In fact, I never personally got visual evidence.

[qnr]

91. Beautiful - and poised to strike! n/t

[qnr]

94. Since you want large birds, here's an Anhinga for you:

[Celebration]

95. Beautiful!

Love the spreading of the wings. I had to look it up in my bird book. Although, the pictures do not show that chin thingie, otherwise it does look like the pics. I see also that they go up the Mississippi Valley all the way to southern Illinois. Still, I don't remember seeing anything like this. I have to say that most of my life I didn't pay much attention to birds, though.

[qnr]

96. Yeah, I see them all of the time - normally I don't see that either. If I remember correctly,

it was in the process of swallowing a fish when I took this, which is why the pouch is so obvious and the throat seems to be a distended.