Tag Archives: Birds in Flight

Tern: Will Turn for Food

October 12, 2018 Ellen Jennings 4 Comments

A few Royal Terns have been coming regularly to one of the old rice field ponds to feed. Terns are extremely skillful flyers and I watched two of them for an entertaining 45 minutes, making loops around the pond and occasionally out over the Ashley River.

The terns were constantly turning their heads and changing direction. When they spot a fish in the water they hover.

Then dive!

They go completely under water.

And if all goes well, come up with a fish!

Up and away!

Interestingly, the two terns then flew together out over the river. They got too far away to tell if the fishless bird was trying to steal the meal or if they were sharing.

Wading Birds

Into the Blue

October 9, 2018 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

The sun had just come up and the sky’s color reflected in this pond was quite blue. A Great Blue Heron that had been wading in the corner of the pond made an elegant low flight to the other side.

The heron didn’t seem happy and squawked the entire way, perhaps aware of the Bald Eagle in the tree above his starting point.

Wading Birds

Great Blue Heron Taking Off

October 3, 2018 Ellen Jennings 4 Comments

After the flying shrimp incident the Great Blue Heron decided it was time to move on. Usually the herons will bend their knees just before lifting off giving the photographer a hint of imminent action and this turned out to be the case.

One strong beat of his wings and he was on his way.

He disappeared down the canal with a big squawk, staying close to the water.

Click on any image for larger view.

Wading Birds

Great Egret Take Off

August 31, 2018 Ellen Jennings 5 Comments

I remain fascinated by how elegantly the large wading birds fly. This Great Egret was surveying the marsh from the top of a tree.

He picked his direction and with one step and a flap of his wings he was off.

Unlike some of the other large birds, the Great Egrets’ wings are nearly silently when they take off so unless you are watching you don’t even know they are gone.

7/3/2018 Donnelley Wildlife Management Area

Water Birds

End of Summer Signals

August 27, 2018 Ellen Jennings 6 Comments

We are seeing more flocks of honking Canada Geese in the sky, a sure sign that fall migrations aren’t far off. These four were part of a flock of about twenty that appeared to be trying to get into formation. They were not successful and ultimately circled noisily back and landed where they started.

Wading Birds

Green Heron

August 6, 2018 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

The Green Heron from Saturday’s post fished awhile then took off for more private quarters.

He wasn’t going very fast and he rounded the tree that up until a month ago was full of juvenile Great Egrets.

Green Herons are generally shy, and as expected he landed in a spot that was partly shielded from my view, which he had all to himself.

Wading Birds

Great Egret Landing

August 5, 2018 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

Since the juveniles have fledged most of the Great Egret activity at my favorite swamp has been on the far side of the big pond. The water is a little shallower for hunting and I expect harbors a lot of fish. The Alligators, of course, go all over. I didn’t see this one in the Egret’s reflection until I was processing my images.

The distance is too far for really sharp images, but some days that’s all you see. The Great Egret wisely kept moving and then flew over a juvenile Little Blue Heron.

He finally touched down with a flourish surrounded by lush green swamp vegetation.

Wading Birds

Tree Top Landing: Spoonbill

July 28, 2018 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

Most of the Roseate Spoonbills were congregated in the corners of the pond by mid-morning. They had done stopped feeding and were preening and napping. A few decided to perch in a tree instead.

Landing spot selection is risk business.

The pine bough he landed on didn’t hold his weight.

The Spoonbill sprung back into the air, made a short hop and chose a sturdier spot in the next pine tree.

Wading Birds

Wood Stork Landing

July 27, 2018 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

A lone Wood Stork came in low over the pond.

One delicate feet first splash and he was down.

Momentum brought him few more steps forward.

And one final flap to get his wings settled.

Wading Birds

Wood Stork Exodus

July 23, 2018 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

I’ve mentioned the dilemma of choice in previous posts: stick with what is right in front of me or move where I might capture something else. I was happily photographing Roseate Spoonbills in a pond when I noticed these Wood Storks standing in a Pine Tree at the end of the dike.

Stick with the Spoonies or see if I can get some nice Wood Stork images?

I waited too long and the Wood Storks took off.

It was clear they were leaving not just settling into another tree as they circled to an altitude where they fly for distance.

There were at least thirty, many more than had been visible in that tree from my vantage point.