It was late afternoon and the sun was behind me. In the shaded corner of a pond this Great Blue Heron make a nice silhouette and reflection in the blue water.
Great Blue Heron Silhouette
Tag Archives: Silhouette
Black Vultures, Dead Tree in Silhouette
The dike where I took Black Vultures sitting in this tree takes a 90 degree turn which gave me a different vantage point for this post’s images. The sun was now behind the birds and it was very hazy.
The outline of the tree and birds is pretty interesting, as is the postion of the two Vultures seen here. The third Vulture is in that clump in the middle in the first image.
Green Heron Flight Silhouette
I saw a few Green Herons fly into a tree just off the canal where I was walking and I guess they saw me, too.
It was early and there wasn’t much light, but the classic Green Heron head crest was clearly outlined.
Great Blue Heron Silhouette
We are at that time of year when there is a lot of Great Blue Heron activity in the swamp at the end of the day with last minute nest building, one mate returning to the nest after feeding, and new-comers looking for a spot. Unfortunately the sun has dipped below the tree line and there is very little light to capture the action.
So silhouettes are an interesting option. I particularly like this next one with the heron’s foot flexed.
This heron settled down, probably wondering where to spend the night. Not all of the singles are paired with a mate yet with a nest to return to.
Songbird Silhouette
Another small bird in poor light, but a nice silhouette with the dried berry in his beak. I thought he might stay to eat more but moved into a tree with more cover. Maybe that dried berry wasn’t satisfying.
Great Blue Heron Presenting the Stick
I had wandered away from the heron rookery when not much was going on. When I returned about an hour later this Great Blue Heron nest building action was unfolding. It was much darker in the shade than I anticipated but I didn’t want to risk loosing the stick presentation so didn’t change camera settings, ending up with underexposed images.
I liked the artsy silhouette look and look forward to another opportunity to get brighter images.
Great Blue Heron Pair Stick Ritual
After the female gave the stick her approval the male lined it up for the pass off.
The female turned the stick…
…nearly wacking her mate in the head.
The female placed the stick in the nest while the male got a closer look and gave her a gentle nudge.
The male stood back as the female poked the stick into its proper place.
Click on any photo for larger view.
01/14/2018
Bringing Home the Nest
One beakful at a time the Great Blue Heron males fetch enough materials to build a nest.
12/22/2017
Click on image for larger view.
Great Egret Silhouette in Tree
I’ve seen all sizes of birds land in this dead tree, from swallows to eagles. Sometimes they share, but this Great Egret had it all to himself. It is protected on a small island created by canals at the edge of two old rice fields. Humans can’t get to it and it has a 360 degree view over several impoundments, useful for scoping out a bird’s next meal.
This was taken shortly after sun rise just about into the sun.