Roseate Spoonbill in a lagoon – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/750, ISO 250, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
Roseate Spoonbills are large wading birds with distinctive pink plumage, long spoon-shaped bills, bald heads and brilliant red eyes. Their length is about 32 inches, wing span 50 inches and they weigh about 3.3 pounds. When you are up close to them; as I was when I photographed the Spoonbill above, they seem rather large.
Wood Stork walking near a lagoon - Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 160, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
Wood Storks are about 40 inches in length, have a wingspan of 61 inches and weigh in at 5.3 pounds. Wood Storks are also distinctive with white plumage, bald heads and long bills that look like wood. The Stork above has not yet acquired full adult plumage, when it does its neck will be featherless, dark and have a scaly appearance. When they are close you get the impression of their large size.
Wood Stork and Roseate Spoonbill size comparison - Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/750, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 360mm, natural light
This photo shows a Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork on the shoreline of a tidal lagoon at Fort De Soto County Park in Florida and it shows how the Wood Stork can dwarf the Roseate Spoonbill in height.
I find both species fascinating, prehistoric looking and unique.
Little Blue Heron hunting in a lagoon – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light, not baited
I don’t know how much snow fell over night here in the Salt Lake Valley because it is still dark outside and while I am truly not “blue” about it I thought some images from warmer times of a blue bird might be in order for a Monday. These images were taken at Fort De Soto County Park’s north beach on what I felt was a magical day. In fact I did a post about it called “Some Days Are Magic” some time ago.
Little Blue Heron still hunting – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light, not baited
For February; even in Florida, the day was warm and the slight sea breeze was delightful. I was in the company of good friends and there were plenty of birds to photograph including this very cooperative and active Little Blue Heron. It hunted, caught and ate prey and looked gorgeous in the blue waters of the lagoon.
Little Blue Heron after missing prey – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/800, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light, not baited
The Little Blue Heron was a terrific subject and I took quite a few images of it, these files have been sitting on my hard drive just waiting to be edited and shared.
It’s hard to be blue on a Monday looking at images of this heron!
Tricolored heron striking at prey – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
This Tricolored Heron image has always intrigued and amused me. I’m amused because I caught the moment just before the Tricolored Heron’s head submerged under the water and that I still managed to get eye contact, I am intrigued by how these herons evolved to have long necks that give them the ability to make lightning fast strikes at their prey some distance from their bodies. This Tricolored Heron had been slowly walking when it spotted its prey and struck at it. The heron missed the prey with this attempt but caught quite a few as the heron hunted close to me while I photographed it in a quiet lagoon in Florida.
Roseate Spoonbill in evening light – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/750, ISO 250, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
Early morning is my favorite time of the day to photograph partly because of the soft light but also because I feel marvelous when I am immersed in nature as the day begins. Evening can have marvelous light too though as shown in the Roseate Spoonbill image above that I photographed in Florida as it hunted for prey in a tidal lagoon.
There was a Roseate Spoonbill here in Utah this year well to the south of where I live, I hope that the pink adding bird moved on and found bird of its own kind because it was well out of its normal range.
Skimming Great Blue Heron – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 250, Nikkor 80-400mm at 400mm, natural light
This image has always cracked me up, I wonder if the Great Blue Heron even realized its toenails were dragging in the water.
I wanted to wish all of my readers a Happy Thanksgiving. I have a lot to be thankful for including the wonderful people I’ve met, talked to, emailed and had conversations with here on my blog because of my photography.
Roseate Spoonbill in a lagoon – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/750, ISO 250, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
Wood Stork walking near a lagoon - Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 160, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
Wood Stork and Roseate Spoonbill size comparison - Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/750, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 360mm, natural light
