Great Egrets

A few bird images from this past week

By Mia McPherson, on April 13th, 2013%

Male Long-billed Curlew calling

Because of fluctuating weather I have only gotten out to photograph three times this past week, on the days I didn’t get out I know I was having withdrawals because it is spring migration and I’m excited to see my first of years birds and to photograph the ones that have already returned.

Last Saturday the weather was a bit on the gloomy side but we went to Antelope Island anyway to meet up with Steve Creek who was camping on the island and visiting from Arkansas. Before seeing Steve I took this image of a male Long-billed Curlew calling. The bills of male Long-billed Curlews are shorter than the bills of females.

Steve didn’t stay in Utah as long as he hoped because our weather turned nasty with a storm front coming in and rain/snow in the forecast. The winds got pretty bad ahead of that front.

Male Mountain Plover

The highlight of the week was when I spotted a pair of Mountain Plovers on Antelope Island State Park, they are rare to Utah and they were lifer birds for me. I sent in my report to the Utah Bird Records Committee along with a few images.

Who knew that sighting a tiny shorebird could cause such an uproar?

Anyway, I took loads of images of the pair of Mountain Plovers that I am very happy with. I suspect there are more of these beautiful shorebirds in Utah this time of the year but they might be located in areas that are under birded or inaccessible to the general public.

Great Egret stalking prey

Yesterday at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge I saw a few first of year birds for me, two Great Egrets, a few Snowy Egrets and Clark’s Grebes delighted me. I also spotted a Rough-legged Hawk from a distance, all the Roughies will soon be gone.

American Avocet in flight

Black-necked Stilts and American Avocet numbers are on the increase at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge and their calls are filling the air. This one flew past me and seemed to beg me to take pictures of it. Okay, the bird didn’t beg, I simply could not resist taking images of it.

American Avocets mating

Speaking of “not being able to resist”, these two American Avocets couldn’t resist courting and mating yesterday. I wish they had been a bit closer but I feel lucky to have gotten the images I did of them because they mate very quickly. You can’t blink while they are mating or you will miss it.

I’m hoping the weather this upcoming week is better so I can experience more of the wonders of migration.

I tripped yesterday in a parking lot which literally brought me to my knees. My knees are scraped up and bruised and although I was embarrassed by my lack of grace, I’ll be fine.

Even though I only got out to photograph birds three times this week each of the days I did get out were very memorable!

Have a great Saturday.

Mia

*Please do not pin my images on Pinterest, Tumblr or any other pinning site, that is a violation of Copyright Laws. Feel free to share the link to my posts but not the images directly.

Two Great Birds

By Mia McPherson, on January 4th, 2013%

Great Egret Portrait – Nikon D200, handheld, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 160mm, natural light, not baited

These two “Great” images were taken two minutes apart of two different “Great” wading birds in Florida. The first one I photographed was this Great Egret that was going into breeding plumage, those lores were pretty green but they get greener during the height of mating season. Notice that I was only at 160mm, this bird walked up very close to me. That bill looked dangerously close, glad I don’t look like any of this bird’s prey.

Great Blue Heron Portrait – Nikon D200, handheld, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light, not baited

This Great Blue Heron was going out of breeding plumage, notice that the lores are a dull gray with a slight blue tint to them, during mating season the lores are a dark blue.

They are “Great” birds!

Mia

More Great Egret and Great Blue Heron images

Great Egret close up

By Mia McPherson, on December 21st, 2012%

Great Egret close up – Nikon D200, handheld, f7.1, 1/640, ISO 160, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 260mm, natural light

Well, if you are reading this the world hasn’t come to an end which I think is a really good thing since I have high hopes of photographing many more birds and animals before my time is up.

This Great Egret image was taken in Florida in 2009, the beautiful blue in the background is the water of the Gulf of Mexico. The image was taken a bit later in the morning than I usually like because the light can get harsh but high thin clouds diffused the light just enough that the whites weren’t blown and beautiful details are evident in the plumage. I have quite a few images of this same bird that showed it preening and walking the shoreline and I’m glad the bird walked close enough to me to get this close up.

We are all still here, the earth wasn’t struck by an asteroid and the doom & gloom predictions of the end of the world weren’t accurate. I’m going out to find some birds and photograph them! Let’s all celebrate!

Mia

More Great Egret images

Great Egret and a Mullet- The Great Egret Wins

By Mia McPherson, on November 15th, 2012%

Great Egret with a Mullet – Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/640, ISO 160, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 360mm, natural light, not baited

I remember the morning I took this photo well, it was a warm morning in February at Fort De Soto’s north beach, the Great Egret was in the tidal lagoon near the Concession Stand and it had been actively hunting when it came up with this Mullet. The Mullet struggled hard but the egret kept the wiggling fish in its bill and walked slowly to the shoreline to swallow the Mullet there.

To catch moments like this or experiences like I had recently with a Prairie Falcon with a Northern Shoveler as prey I have to spend a lot of time in the field and that certainly isn’t a chore, it is a joy.

Mia

More Great Egret images

Four years ago today at Fort De Soto

By Mia McPherson, on October 17th, 2012%

Landing Great Egret

Just a few images taken 4 years ago today at Fort De Soto’s north beach. It was not a super busy day but I did get quite a few images that I like. I was in the lagoon when this Great Egret flew in, it was a slow approach to the landing and it gave me time to get quite a few images of it.

Reddish Egret with prey

This Reddish Egret was very cooperative but I believe that was because it took the egret nearly 5 minutes to get the fish down its throat! Those spines looked… sharp! Kind of made my throat scratchy just watching it.

Nonbreeding Laughing Gull on exposed sea grass bed

This Laughing Gull was hanging around the Reddish Egret, maybe it was hoping to steal the fish the egret had such a hard time swallowing. It sure looked lovely in it’s nonbreeding plumage on the dark green sea grasses.

Mia

*I’m probably packing to head out for my last camping trip of the year. Feel free to share this post with your friends & family!