Snowy Egret with its head upside down – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/3200, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Yesterday morning I had some fun photographing Snowy Egrets feeding in duckweed covered water at Farmington Bay WMA. After I’d gotten home and uploaded the photos I took to my computer and viewed them on my monitor this one Snowy Egret photo made me laugh out loud.
The Snowy Egret had caught a fish from somewhere under the duckweed and was shaking the small fish before the egret swallowed it. I wasn’t aware that I had taken this photo at the precise moment that the egret had its head upside down and I have no clue why but this photo tickled my funny bone.
I can see that the nictitating membrane is over the egret’s eye to protect it while the egret beat the living daylights out of its prey.
Snowy Egret with a fish in its bill – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/3200, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
This is the same Snowy Egret a few frames before it turned its head upside down in the duckweed that shows the egret swinging the small fish around from the tip of its bill. I missed out on photographing the egret swallowing the fish because another egret walked in between me and my subject. That kind of stuff happens and I’ve learned to shrug it off.
I can’t say for certain what kind of duckweed was covering the surface of the water in these photos because there are six species of duckweed native to Utah.
When I thought about sharing the funny photo of the Snowy Egret with its head upside down I looked through my Snowy Egret photo gallery and it dawned on me that August and September have been great months for me to photograph these white wading birds here in northern Utah with September being a bit better than August.
Why is September so good for Snowy Egret photography where I live?
Because they gather in large numbers in the freshwater marshes here in northern Utah to feast and get ready for fall migration. Yesterday I noticed just one area of the marsh at Farmington Bay had more than 100 Snowy Egrets, too bad they were on the wrong side of the light.
Staring Snowy Egret in fast running water – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 100, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light
Just a few days ago I was looking through my archives and came across some Snowy Egret photos I took one year ago today and I processed a few of those image files because I hadn’t shared any of them and put them in a folder I keep on my desktop that contains images I want to share “sometime” and today is that time for these egret photos.
The image above is another photo that made me laugh when I saw it on my large monitor at home. In my mind I thought about the sneering, haughtiness of models walking the runway in Paris or Milan and it seemed to me that this egret had that same super model type of appearance for one brief moment in time.
Of course this feathered subject has no ego and doesn’t give a squat about what we humans think.
The four photos above were also taken one year ago today. The Snowy Egret was foraging in fast moving water at one of the bridges at Farmington Bay. I’m not sure why I didn’t share any of these photo last year because I really like how they turned out.
I know that the bright specular highlights in the water might not appeal to everyone’s tastes but they happen when you are photographing birds with water in the background. I also know that there photographers who will take the time to clone out or subdue the intensity of those specular highlights. I’m not one of them.
I like how the specular highlights sparkle.
Click on the first image in the gallery above to start a slide show or to scroll through the larger images one by one.
Click on the first image above to view these two images at a larger size.
A little more than five years ago I was at Farmington Bay WMA when a Snowy Egret walked up to where I sat in a “mobile blind” who was so close that I was able to take portraits of it. I was thrilled then and I am still thrilled today that I was able to do that. I appreciate the intimacy of close up and portrait photos of my subjects and how I am able to show the intricate details of their plumage and facial features that aren’t quite as noticeable in photos that are taken from longer distances.
September is a marvelous time for photographing Snowy Egrets in the freshwater marshes that surround the Great Salt Lake.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Snowy Egret photos plus facts and information about this species.
Fun pic. I love this entire series of shots. Snowy Egrets are such beautiful birds. Thanks Mia.
These are some great images! I really like them because they show how one can tell an immature Snowy from an adult snowy, yellow legs and feet rather than black legs with yellow feet. Excellent Job!!
Thank you Liz. I couldn’t help but laugh 🙂
The 500 vr produces ring bokeh?
It does with specular highlights.
100 of these beauties in one place? Wow. And wow again. Love the upside down shot too.
I so wish you could be here to see them EC.
Very nice! They are so elegant. Runway models have nothing on these birds. I have been out to release birds a few times but not to photograph. I should before duck hunt starts Oct. 3rd.
Thanks April.
You should visit Farmington Bay before the hunting season starts!
Fantastic photos and great catch of the Snowy Egret’s head upside down. It made me laugh too.
Thank you Liz, I couldn’t help but laugh!