Phil Lanoue Photography
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.
Little Jet fighters
This afternoon there were a couple of terns zipping around the salt marsh making me dizzy trying to follow them.
These tiny, super fast flyers are always a fun challenge to try tracking as they swoop and dive in search of their prey.
The terns almost look like miniature fighter jets as they blast their way around the marsh at hyper speeds.
Parked
Here are two of the four alligators I saw parked at the edge of the marsh pond this morning. They are out awaiting the warming trend in temperatures that we’re expecting to start today.
So far they have been a bit disappointed, it was cool and somewhat blustery out there, but things appear to be improving as the day moves along.
It’s not nice to fool the alligators with the weather forecast. If you promise them a warm sunny day, that’s what they expect!
Up And At ‘Em
A tricolor from this past weekend quickly busts up out of the salt marsh and across the water.
I always enjoy watching these active and colorful smaller herons.
Hitting The Slush?
A brown pelican, from earlier this week, skis into the salt marsh almost making the water look like slushy snow. With those big pelican feet, they probably would make very good water or snow skiers.
It’s That Time of Year
Earlier this weekend a great egret came gliding across the reeds, took a hard right turn, and landed in the salt marsh directly in front of me.
Once I spotted the bright green lores around it’s eyes I realized that this bird was in breeding condition. The egret will also likely develop long back plumes which may be fanned out during courtship.
Other egrets and herons may display breeding color and plumage as well. The snowy egrets get bright reddish orange lores, while the great blue heron has bright blue around it’s eyes and the tricolored heron’s entire bill may turn a bright royal blue.
Always interesting to see nature in action.
Snowy Fly and Fluff
This afternoon a snowy egret came flying into the salt marsh (completely ignored by the larger great egret) he touched down, then proceeded to get all fluffed up about whatever the snowy issue du jour was.
The Hunter
There was a great blue heron bouncing around all over the salt marsh this afternoon trying desperately to catch this one certain fish.
The heron spotted the fish swimming in a sort of landlocked stream caused by the low tide and it was making him crazy.
First he flew directly toward me, then turned and went back across the opposite side. He finally did catch the fish but it was behind the reeds and then he flew away with his prize giving me little more than a parting butt shot as he departed.
But it was wild to see this bird frantically flying in short hops and dancing around the marsh in pursuit of it’s prey!
There Always Has To Be Comments
The great blue herons around this area seem to love to hear themselves speak. They will squawk at anyone or no one, for any reason or no reason. They feel compelled to announce their comings and goings as well as their mere presence.
This GBH from earlier this week was no different. Even though there were no other birds at all in the area, he had to let the world know that he was flying from one spot in the marsh, to a different spot in the marsh.
It just has to be done.
Phil Lanoue Photography 