This is a difficult time of year for a local bird photographer, especially in the wetland areas. It’s hot as Hell, the haze plays havoc with your autofocus, the light gets harsh quickly, and the mosquitos are tapdancing on your forehead. (I didn’t know that many of them could land in one spot!)
With that being said, it’s still an awful lot of fun! Your keeper rate will probably suck, but there are things that you can learn, even if you have to pay in blood!
For instance, I never knew that Green Herons could go full vertical without falling, but this youngster below did! And I’m pretty sure it’s a juvenile because of the white fuzz he or she has on the top of their head.
Now that is some great camoflage!!!
And usually when you see two Green Herons as close as these two were below it’s because they are fighting with each other. But maybe there is a temporary truce because one is an adult and one is a juvenile. The juvenile was probably afraid Mom was going to kick their ass if they started anything!
A rare sighting….. two in close proximity and they’re not fighting!!!
I actually like the next image below quite a bit but…… I missed the focus by just a hair. You’re constantly living on the edge of high ISO and slow shutter speed early in the morning and sometimes you just guess wrong….
A rare and endangered “Jumping Heron”……
I call the next one below my “live long and prosper” bird….. they are actually scratching their neck but it looks like they are trying to channel Spock….
What a great haircut!!!!
And last but not least, this is the way you usually see Green Herons act……. like siblings! They constantly harass each other. If one is fishing the other has to try and sneak up and goad the other one into a game of tag. Or if one actually catches a fish the other will do their best to steal the catch!! They are a constant source of amusement in the swamp.
Another “almost” image that will end up in the recycle bin….. but captures their personality perfectly!!!
So that is my tale of woe…… but not really. I had a great morning!!!! Mosquito bites will fade, but the memories will last a long time! And remember, you’re going to miss 100% of the shots you don’t take! So get out there and shoot! Hope you enjoyed it!
