Monday, October 29, 2007

Is This A Great Blue Heron?

Late Sunday Afternoon when I went to cross the fording, which Salty and ASH write about, I was lucky enough to spy this large bird sitting upstream from the crossing. I think it is a Great Blue Heron, but I am not certain. If anyone knows for sure, let me know. Locals call these birds “fish cranes” and from there it goes down hill. I won’t repeat the favorite local term. Also in backwoods Pennsylvania a stream crossing is not a “fording”,but rather a “forden” or “fordin”.

Over the years I have seen a lot of these birds and have gotten excellent video, but never a decent still shot. In this case the deck was stacked against me, but not impossibly so. I had the 70-200mm mounted with the camera on ISO 100. I would have liked to have had my 300mm to make the bird larger, and a higher ISO for the flying shots.

I cropped the image as much as possible without destroying it, which made the bird reasonably close looking.

Like “Wom Tigley” driving his Land Rover. I smashed my Chevy S-10 Blazer into the stream. At that point it all happened at once. I saw the bird, brought the camera to my eye, slammed the brakes, and fired a burst. Road hunting and 4 wheeling at its finest!


Canon 40-D 70-200mmL f2.8

13 comments:

ASHE said...

Ooooh! Love that second one, especially. Yes, you caught a Great Blue, up to his old tricks. We get bunches of these in the Susquehanna. They are such a large bird, surprising if you come across one unexpectedly. I can see you were quicker on the draw than he was :)

Larry D said...

I agree this looks like a Great Blue Heron. We have quite a few of them here in Kansas. We have the Little Green and The Night Crowned as well. Nice shots.

Anonymous said...

It looks like a Great Blue Heron to me as its beak is dark or had black on it. The coloring is right too. I like the photographs and the starting to fly on is myh favorite.

Kerri Farley said...

WOW oh Wow! What a magnificent bird! I love both shots.... but the one with him getting ready to take off just makes me giddy! FANTASTIC shots! I am so glad Salty convinced you to blog and post your pictures.

Gretchen said...

Looks like one to me. Only have seen one in Elk County, but that sure looks like it.

Tom said...

Have a look see here Willard, http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/5960/bheron.html
Very similar to our herons, make fine eating so I'm told, but never tried one for myself.
Both are gems, but the second one as it for me.

DeeMom said...

Awesome shot of the Herons wing there. We have those here on our Creek and Pond, they are fun to behold.

Coy Hill said...

Excellent capture in the second shot. Only good luck or a burst could catch that!

Jill said...

These are not easy. I haven't been happy with any of mine either. These look pretty good though. I'm convinced to perfect this shot is hours and hours of practice and patience.

Unknown said...

G'Day from DOWN UNDER. We have one of these in our back yard, it comes looking for food everyday and if we don't take notice, it will jump up on the back of the patio chairs and honk at us.
Email:jj.trinder@hotmail.com
for a photo of this

pennypendra said...

i have one of these NE phiily

pennypendra said...

I didnt believe my husband. I love it! does anyone know what time they come out, for a pic?

snookerdoodle said...

I get so excited when I see them.
We have a couple that fly along the Lehigh River near where I live. They are so much darker when in flight, they are mysterious and almost comical at times.
Great shots!