Tag: #feathers

Jumping the Waves

Humans of all shapes and sizes flock to the beach on a hot summer’s day, saunter to the water’s edge and…jump the waves! The water feels so good. I think it’s fun to find animals doing the same things people like to do. So I had fun photographing this Snowy Egret in the air, jumping the waves.

#egret, #snowyegret, #jump, #wave, #ocean, #beach, #action, #wildlife, #birds, #wadingbird, #florida, #naples
Snowy Egret jumps the wave while fishing on the beach in Naples, Florida.

This image also gives us a good look at the crashing surf, frozen in time, and the snowy egret’s wings outstretched. He/she is such a graceful bird!

Dawn’s Early Light

While we are staying “safer at home,” I’m looking through the images I captured in February and uncovering a few hidden gems. I have found new examples of why it really pays off to wake up in the dark and get on location as the sun rises. The reflections on the lake makes this egret look regal.

#greategret, #reflection, #lake, #light, #morninglight, #earlybird, #fishing, #color, #dawn, #florida, #naplesflorida
Great White Egret catches a tiny fish while dawn’s early lights paints the lake with color.

This image is similar to one I blogged about in February, but it’s different with the fish in the egret’s bill. Here is another frame from moments later.

#greategret, #ripples, #lake, #water, #fishing, #reflection, #color, #dawn, #morninglight, #florida, #birds, #egret, #wildlife
Walking about in the shallows and dunking its head, this Great Egret makes circular ripples in the lake.

Cleared for Take-Off

Watching and waiting for this Great White Egret to take off, I was rewarded by this sighting of outstretched white wings. With my Nikon camera shutter set at 1/1000 second, I was prepared to capture this image to share with you.

#egret, #whiteegret, #greatwhite, #greatamericanegret, #wings, #takeoff, #flight, #birdphotography, #naturephotography, #wildlife, #howto, #nikon, #tamron, #outdoorphotography, #morningsun, #sunlit, #llittoralplants, #golfcourse, #contest, #photography,
Early morning sun shines through the white egrets wing feathers, as the egret lifts off from the littoral plants.

Since I also set my Nikon D800 on “continuous-high,” I have two more great frames to share. You can help me decide which one is best. I will submit one or two of these photos to the Royal Poinciana Members’ Photography Contest. The submitted photos have to be shot on the property.

He Will Not Be Stepping Back

This Great Blue Heron looks like royalty and he knows it. He lives a great life on Sanibel Island, Florida and he doesn’t mind a few photographers pointing long lenses at him first thing in the morning. In fact, he rather enjoyed it until the photographers got bloody sick of it and packed themselves and their gear in the car to go home. He just stood on the rock, posed and stared us down.

While Prince Harry and his wife Megan will be “stepping back as senior members of the royal family,” this character likes the spotlight and doesn’t mind the paparazzi. This Great Blue Heron is indeed royal.

I loved the close up view of the Great Blue Heron’s intricate feathers, brilliantly lit by the direct sun. We photographers we so lucky that he lingered with us.

Tricolor Heron On the Go

This sequence of photographs of the Tricolor Heron in the morning light show his feathers from many angles. Such a delicate creature..

Landing on Bunche Beach near Fort Myers Beach, Florida, this Tricolor Heron is foraging for his morning meal.
Tricolor heron comes in for a landing. Look at that spread of blue feathers.
Tricolor heron flies on to a better spot in the creek, showing his white underside.
tricolorheron, feathers, eye, closeup, nature, wildlife, fishing, feeding, wading, foraging, march, Florida, beach, Bunche, fortmyersbeach
Tricolor heron walks by the water’s edge to get a better look at the photographer. He sees us with that red eye.

Feeling Frazzled?

How is it that the “common cold” can reduce a vibrant and productive adult into feeling like this? My head aches; my appetite is gone; my nose is running, and when I try to talk, I cough. My husband takes one look at me and says, “You look terrible.”

#reddishegret, #sanibel, #dingdarling, #sanibelisland, #florida, #heron, #wadingbird, #nikon, #tamron, #birdphotography, #wildlife
This Reddish Egret on Sanibel Island, Florida shakes like a dog. Weeks after I observed this fantastic bird, I recalled this image and relate to the feeling it projects.

While I have not been well enough to write or post for several days, I am starting to feel better today.  I look forward to smoothing my feathers, clearing my vision and taking flight again soon.

Aggressive behavior on the golf course

I was lucky to have my camera focused on this Tricolor Heron when the Great White Egret landed alongside and began to intimidate him. The egret scared the daylights out of the heron, and the heron’s crown feathers stood up on end! I captured a series of photos of the interaction, but the heron appeared a tiny bit blurred in some of the photos, because he was running from fear. I’m not sure if the egret wanted the heron’s fishing spot, but I have seen these egrets get aggressive with each other. Drama in the life of a wading bird! And so early in the morning!  It was fun to witness and capture these  images.

#egret, #heron, #aggression, #birds, #drama, #feathers, #getout, #birdphotography, #nature, #wildlife
“Yikes! I’m out of here!,” the Tricolor Heron seems to cry, as his crown feathers stood up straight.

 

Eye-Catching Great White Egret

Funny how it works. In our human culture, the females wear the jewels, curl and color their hair and purchase sparkly, provocative dresses — all an effort to be noticed by the right male. In the bird kingdom, it’s just the opposite. The females wear camouflage (dull) colors so they can protect the young in the nest, while the males get dolled up in breeding plumage to attract a mate.

#greatwhiteegret, #feathers, #birds, #mating, #breeding, #plumage, #naples, #florida, #egret
This Great White Egret is looking handsome with breeding plumage and a bright green mask.

 

Great White in Flight

If I were a painter of an angel’s wings, I would imagine the ethereal wings of angels to resemble those of the Great White Egret in flight.

#wings, #feathers, #egret, #florida, #birds, #flight, #angel
As the Great White Egret takes flight, water droplets fall from his feet, and his outstretched wings appear at once delicate, strong and pure.