This is a six image series of a Snowy Egret in flight as it loses elevation in order to land. I’ve posted one of the photos previously.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I photographed this bird earlier this month at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. The egret was coming in for a landing near the shore and I was fortunate enough to lock on and keep it in focus for six shots without clipping any body parts. Typical of egrets in this situation it was largely a gliding approach so all the flight postures are somewhat similar but I do enjoy seeing the changes in the background as the bird descends.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I don’t like this composition because the bird is too low in the frame. After I rotated the image to get the horizon level I didn’t have enough room at the bottom but I thought the image added important context to the series so I included it.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
A bit about the background and why the bottom portion of the image is becoming so dark. There’s two layers of phragmites back there – the golden hues at top are dead phrags but just below them are dark green living ones. Those living phrags…
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
and now their reflection in the water of the pond produced the dark greens. This is the photo I posted previously.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
There’s significant contrast between bird and background in these last two shots so I was pleased to pretty much nail the exposure.
Apologies for the “pretty much” in the previous sentence – that may be an old Montana’ism left over from my years on the farm and I’ve never been able to shake it. It’s kind of like “pertineer” for pretty near and to be honest I really don’t try very hard to lose either one of them.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
The egret’s angle of attack in the air became steeper as it approached the chosen landing spot. This is the last sharp shot I was able to get without clipping anything.
I don’t get many photos of Snowy Egrets in flight that I like very much so I’ve probably overdone it here, especially since the flight postures are quite similar. Hopefully the interesting changes in background compensate a little for the “blizzard of snowies”.
Ron
We don’t get snowies here (although my husband came upon one standing in the middle of a country road on Long Island, one very early morning some years ago), so I’ll take all the shots you’re willing to post. I love the changing background in these, but mostly I love that glorious, golden-shod bird!
I agree with Barbara Niss…beautiful, sculptural….. I am always so happy when these beauties return to SW Connecticut each Spring in mid-March, after our cold, long Winters. They are so elegant!
Beautiful,I think I like #3 the best. I like the three tone background and the way the bird is positioned in the color change of the background. I have spent a whole morning trying different compensations to not blow out the whites on Snowy Egrets with dark phrag backgrounds.
They’re tough against those backgrounds, April – no question about it.
Love the blizzard of snowies!!The 2nd photo moves me the most for some reason. All are gorgeous and I would be proud to have taken them! Thanks
I appreciate the kind words, Joanne.
Oh my.
This is a blizzard that I would love to see, let alone capture.
Thank you, EC.
Love the outstretched legs and feet and the bill shadow!
I hadn’t paid much attention to that shadow, Ann. Thanks for pointing it out.
Stunningly beautiful. It is just sculptural. Thank you for this and all you send to us.
I’m glad you liked them, Barbara. Thank you.
Beautiful series…I never get tired of seeing these birds….
Thanks, Patty.
Personally, I don’t think it’s possible to overdo good shots of such a beautiful bird, especially when the background is so good for making the bird stand out. Even though the second photo has the bird too close to the bottom, but that’s the only shot with the wings in a down position, so I think it needs to be there. I love all the detail I can see of the feathers.
Susan, the wing position in that shot is one of the major reasons I decided to use it, despite the cramped space at bottom.
Now this is the type of blizzard I can enjoy!
And as for your phraseology, I see absolutely no problemo! 😉
Good. It works for me too, Marty.
Wonderful series Ron!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
Hi Ron, greetings from the UK. As always beautiful photographs. With the exception of the yellow at the base of he bill, the snowy egret is “pretty much” the same as the Little Egrets that have recently reached the UK as a breeding species. My family comes from Northern Ireland, part of the UK, and I use “pretty much” in the same way as you did.
Thanks, David. I suspect “pretty much” is more commonly and widely used than “pertineer”…
Wonderful series, Ron:) The change in contrast in the background is great – shows what a difference the background can make…. 🙂 “pretty much” and “pertineer” are not at all alien to me needless to say – I’ve never thought of them as not being “correct English” or even a real word! 🙂
Judy, I cling to my leftover Montana’isms tenaciously. Just using them brings back great memories for me – especially of my Montana cousin Ken Dudley who was responsible for me being able to get into serious bird photography in the first place. Thank you.
Love the Snowy’s! Watched one yesterday evening that didn’t seem to mind the two tricolored herons that were hanging around. You’ve captured this one so beautifully, and so sharply detailed against that background.
I’d love to photograph a tricolored one day. Thanks, Gail.
Great shots Ron, just beautiful!
Thank you, Dick.