I previously worked as a news and sports photographer. Recently I have been enjoying wildlife photography. My approach toward bird photos is similar to sports photography. I attempt to capture mostly action and hopefully a unique perspective.
This afternoon we were watching an egret fishing in the salt marsh. He was catching a few mostly tiny fish and shrimp when finally he caught one just a bit bigger than the others.
After a quick gulp down, the egret took off across the reeds like a rocket! At first I thought maybe he wanted to tell all his friends at the other side of the marsh about his day of fishing. But then I realized he was just going off to chase away some other birds.
Oh well… typical egrets.
Well we don’t call them “muddy ibis” for nothing. Just look at the feet and face of this guy as he comes in for a landing in the salt marsh earlier this week. I’m actually rather surprised he managed to keep those feathers as white as they are, usually they get those mucked up as well.
But I really like these birds, they are always active and fun to watch and generally don’t have a lot to say. About the most I’ll hear from an ibis is the occasional low grunt. 🙂
This great blue heron jetting across the reeds in the salt marsh was using every inch of his body to really streamline his flight.
I’m not sure what the urgency was, but these birds often purposely create drama if none actually exists at the moment.
At this time of year, what used to be early evening light is now late afternoon light. But it’s still one of the nicest times to be out in the salt marsh area and having the chance to watch colorful birds such as these tricolored herons.
Here we have a juvenile flying back toward the tress perhaps to roost as his day may be coming to a close.
The adult however was not done fishing and has a nice catch to wind up his day. In both cases, it’s a nice time of year to be out there.
Earlier this week we had a white ibis and snowy egret fishing together in the salt marsh. Suddenly the ibis decided he wanted to show off for his snowy friend and go into a full fluff and twist act.
I thought the expression on snowball’s face was priceless, he never reacted even slightly. Even as the ibis walks away looking all pleased and satisfied with himself I couldn’t get a read on the snowy. He was either thinking… “Dude, that was so totally awesome!” Or… “Man, that ibis is nuts.”
Either one works I suppose but comical and interesting in any case. 🙂
When word got out at the salt marsh earlier this week that there would be a free seafood buffet for Happy Hour, the wood storks absolutely mobbed the joint.
This is of course typical wood stork behavior, as they usually travel in a gang and like to push everybody around with those huge stork bodies.
Advertise free food and that’s just encouraging their boorish behavior.
An anhinga took a break from fishing in the salt marsh earlier this week and was utilizing the standard anhinga wing drying pose.
Although anhingas are water birds and feed by catching fish under the water, they are not ‘water proof’ in the traditional sense. They need to spread their wings to dry them off in the sun before going back at it again later. I always say they look like wet cats coming out of the water, and their feathers look a lot like cat fur when dry. 🙂
They also tend to keep their heads on a swivel while drying, always continuously looking in every direction possibly for predators which in this area would include alligators.
The ospreys have been all over the place around the salt marsh for the past couple of days. These really are some hard working birds unlike a certain other lazy pirate bald eagle which shall remain nameless.
These two ospreys pictured here were successful with a catch, but they so often miss when diving down for a fish. That, along with the seemingly endless flying and circling over a likely area, has to take a lot of energy. But at least in these cases they got to keep their reward as ‘you know who’ didn’t come blasting in out of nowhere in an attempt to steal the prize.
Phil Lanoue Photography 