Black-crowned night hero

Gallery: AvianPosted January 3, 2012121 views16 comments

Lake Livingston, TX January 1, 2012.

D3 ISO 400. 300/2.8 with 2x tc. f 6.3 1/2500s -0.7ev. Handheld from boat.

I have found a rookery near my place on Lake Livingston, TX. It is accessible only by boat. I use the trolling motor to get nearby quietly and remain still. They get fairly relaxed with me there. Currently cormorants are nesting, but as with most rookeries, over the year the population changes. In addition to cormorants there are snoweys, great egrets, great blue herons, and ibises. There was also a hawk, which I will post later.

This is the only place I have ever seen a BCNH in flight.

Oh yes-I must be an angel, because I have a halo everywhere I go.

Comments

16 comments

Comment posted by Harry Harris on January 3, 2012 at 10:50 PM

Angela, This is better than any BCNH flight images I have. I like the pose with the closest wing down a bit so the details show. Also I cannot see the halo and I could not see the halo on the Loggerhead Shrike I posted which you indicated had one. Is there something I should be looking for? I have studied your larger image here and I cannot for the life of me see one.

Skip

Registered on August 2, 2010, 169 Posts, 741 Comments

Comment posted by keith mitchell on January 4, 2012 at 3:49 AM

Angela sounds like a great place that you have there,your image is great amazing how you have got such a sharp image on a flying bird.
Keith.

Registered on July 12, 2008, 127 Posts, 1735 Comments

Comment posted by John Robinson on January 4, 2012 at 6:59 AM

Thats a grand image Angela. One of my favourite wetland birds.
Great stuff!
John

Registered on March 2, 2008, 535 Posts, 2453 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 4, 2012 at 11:07 AM

Terrific detail and nice exposure. Good work from a boat and hand held.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by David Hemmings on January 4, 2012 at 4:50 PM

This is really nice Angela, love the pose and it is sharp with lots of detail

Registered on May 26, 2006, 178 Posts, 1680 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on January 4, 2012 at 5:12 PM

Wonderful detail in the larger image and that eye contact really draws you in, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on January 4, 2012 at 5:12 PM

Sounds like you found one VERY good rookery to produce some fine images. Looking forward to seeing more in the near future Angela. I like the colors and detail you managed on this BCNH.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on January 4, 2012 at 6:56 PM

A great shot Angela. I like the bird's position and the look at the wing. The red eye on this species always grabs me. I might bring down the saturation on the sky a bit if this were mine.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on January 4, 2012 at 11:32 PM

. There was no post processing color change done. The sky was weirdly vivid that day. Some friends were with me and we talked about it. I considered toning it down. Do you do that even if you know the color is accurate? .

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on January 5, 2012 at 8:27 AM

Nice to catch this one in flight Angela, excellent.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Julia Flanagan on January 5, 2012 at 2:07 PM

I'm impressed by you hand-holding the 300 f2.8! I have tried that and am nothing close to stable when I do. Wonderful sharpness and position in the frame. I'd leave the sky as is. I did some flight shots last week and processed them last night. I wound up with numerous shades of blue depending on where the bird was in relation to the horizon. This doesn't look odd to me. Looks like what I get with a clear winter sky.

Registered on November 13, 2003, 59 Posts, 986 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on January 5, 2012 at 3:39 PM

Very nice flight shot, nice and sharp and a very good look at the eye.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Rhodus on January 5, 2012 at 9:48 PM

Wonderful flight shot and excellent detail Angela.

Registered on November 16, 2003, 157 Posts, 3326 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on January 6, 2012 at 8:21 PM

Really nice Angela. One i don't have in my files... yet

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Roger Leekam on January 8, 2012 at 10:43 AM

Really superb detail in this one, especially in head & wings.

Registered on May 28, 2009, 83 Posts, 646 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on January 8, 2012 at 11:33 PM

Lovely capture of this Heron in flight Angela! Wishing you and your family a wonderful year ahead :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments