What a beautiful blue heron! Overall this is really nice, Daniel, but it looks like a noise reduction filter has caused a loss of detail in some areas. Still, a very nice image.
Barry - I haven't been to Idabel in many years, but you may find anything from Ospreys to Eagles near the lakes to Scissortail Flycatchers, Meadowlarks and Western Kingbirds in open country. If you are lucky, perhaps you will see a Sparrow Hawk resting on the power lines. There are usually quite a few Red Tailed Hawks and Mississippi Kites. Have fun and bring back lots of photos.
Tom - The situation at Lake Martin is unique in that the smaller Cattle Egrets, Little Blues and Night Herons nest in the brush about 50-75 feet from the roadway. There is a narrow strip of water that separates the road from the nesting area and it is off-limits during breeding season (there are also alligators in the moat!). That is the only reason I got so close to the Little Blue. Even then, it was early and I had the ISO Jacked to 800, hence the grainy quality of the image . . .
Discussion
5 replies40D, 700mm, f8, 1/25s, ISO 800, cropped to make vertical.
What a nice capture goes on my must see list.
Off to Idabel tomorrow for Red Slough BF what prime avian targets should we be looking for in OK?
Tom - The situation at Lake Martin is unique in that the smaller Cattle Egrets, Little Blues and Night Herons nest in the brush about 50-75 feet from the roadway. There is a narrow strip of water that separates the road from the nesting area and it is off-limits during breeding season (there are also alligators in the moat!). That is the only reason I got so close to the Little Blue. Even then, it was early and I had the ISO Jacked to 800, hence the grainy quality of the image . . .