Snowy Egret - Where It Lives

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Snowy Egret - Where It Lives
Photo Information
Copyright: Richard Vincent (earthtraveler) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 470 W: 134 N: 971] (3517)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-02-28
Categories: Birds
Camera: Panasonic DMC-FZ50
Exposure: f/8, 1/640 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Where They Really Live, Alex99 favorite shots [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-04-10 8:28
Viewed: 713
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I found this juvenile Snowy Egret while exploring the coastline of the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge in southeast Costa Rica. It was so engaged with feeding it allowed my close observation. Here is a wide angle shot showing where it lives.

The Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) is a small white heron. It is the American counterpart to the very similar Old World Little Egret, which has established a foothold in the Bahamas.

Adults are typically 61 cm long and weigh 375 g. They have a slim black bill and long black legs with yellow feet. The area of the upper bill, in front of the eyes, is yellow but turns red during the breeding season, when the adults also gain recurved plumes on the back, making for a "shaggy" effect. The juvenile looks similar to the adult, but the base of the bill is paler, and a green or yellow line runs down the back of the legs.

Their breeding habitat is large inland and coastal wetlands from the lower Great Lakes and southwestern United States to South America. The breeding range in eastern North America extends along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from Maine to Texas, and inland along major rivers and lakes.

They nest in colonies, often with other waders, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Their flat, shallow nests are made of sticks and lined with fine twigs and rushes. Three to four greenish-blue, oval eggs are incubated by both adults. The young leave the nest in 20 to 25 days and hop about on branches near the nest before finally departing.

In warmer locations, some Snowy Egret are permanent residents; northern populations migrate to Central America and the West Indies. They may wander north after the breeding season, very rarely venturing to western Europe.

The birds eat fish, crustaceans, and insects. They stalk prey in shallow water, often running or shuffling their feet, flushing prey into view, as well "dip-fishing" by flying with their feet just over the water. Snowy Egrets may also stand still and wait to ambush prey, or hunt for insects stirred up by domestic animals in open fields.

At one time, the beautiful plumes of the Snowy Egret were in great demand by market hunters as decorations for women's hats. This reduced the population of the species to dangerously low levels.
Now it is protected by law, under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, this bird's population has rebounded.

Source: Wikipedia

Aperture Priority
ISO 100
F-stop 8.
Exp. 1/640 sec.
Handheld

Thanks for taking a look and sharing your thoughts. Richard
eqshannon, jaycee, Jamesp, nglen, Gert-Paassen, Royaldevon, Juyona, gannu, Alex99, SelenE, uleko, Argus, Adanac, SunToucher, ppmiranda has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To jaycee: Thank you and size of wave.earthtraveler 1 04-10 10:04
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Critiques [Translate]

That is so neat Richard! It looks like he is going to get hit by that incoming wave but either the depth is deceiving or it moves fast:-) Excellent shot and I put it in theme! good job from a man with a good heart.
In His Name
bob

Hi Richard,

This is a beautiful scene. Is that wave as huge as it looks? The Egret doesn't even seem to notice is coming. The Egret is lovely and stands out well. The scenery is magnificent - love the layers of foam, waves, and mountain and sky.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1223 W: 0 N: 4446] (13284)
  • [2008-04-10 10:25]

Hi Richard

A lovely shot - good composition and POV with good colour and superb detail. Well observed and captured.

James

Hi Richard
That's a beautiful photo of a land with this bird it's superbe
Continue
Friendly
Cyber-Rayder

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1864 W: 2 N: 4738] (18250)
  • [2008-04-10 11:13]

Hi Richard. What a beautiful looking place . And to get a picture of the White Egret as well. Good rich colours and detail . a very nice compostion. well done TFS.
Nick..

Hi Richard,

Good composition with that wave, sharpess good and with beautifully colors too.
The horizon looks not quit right?

Regards Gert

Hello Richard,

Lovely composition here, including so much of the natural habitat into the shot!
The bird is a very cool customer to be strutting so carelessly in front of the oncoming wave! Did it fly away or did the wave never reach the bird?

Lovely details and colours.

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

  • Great 
  • JPlumb Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 654 W: 159 N: 889] (2827)
  • [2008-04-10 23:45]

Hello Richard, very nice natural habitat shot of this Snowy Egret. The bird itself is in very excellent sharp detail. The background scenery too is seen in good light, with great colour and good depth of field providing excellent clarity throughout. I especially like how you can really see here the natural habitat of this bird, as it hunts in the weeds at shore, while that surf pounds in. Very nice.

Thanks, John

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2073 W: 6 N: 1848] (12714)
  • [2008-04-11 2:55]
  • [2]

Hola Richard,
preciosa captura,
ambiente hermoso y color natural,
los detalles espléndidos,
saludos

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1687 W: 20 N: 4738] (15476)
  • [2008-04-11 19:13]

Hi Richard,
Wow....the eye is immediately drawn to that huge wave but the Snowy Egret seem unconcerned. Seems like a tsunami wave and your low POV has made it look bigger than it actually is I suppose. Great management of harsh natural lighting and exposure levels with very impressive sharpness. Excellent composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2935 W: 142 N: 4217] (13775)
  • [2008-04-12 7:45]

Hi Richard.
Thanks for once more my favorite image. Its subject and quality of reproduction are outstanding. I am impressed a lot with every components of the photo art. Fantastic DOF and details of the entire image, great timing and freezing the best scene. Exposure is spot on, etc, etc. My congratulations and Bravo. Well done.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 729 W: 4 N: 1811] (8606)
  • [2008-04-12 10:20]

Hello Richard,
The bird is unmoved by the giant waves.
It seem to be on his own business.
Good clarity and nice sharpness. Ganesh
Smiley tmrw

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2336 W: 59 N: 4112] (13398)
  • [2008-04-14 5:52]

Hi Richard,
POV, composition, DOF, colors, lighting and the scene you captured look very good. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2295 W: 163 N: 6692] (21138)
  • [2008-04-15 6:45]

Hello Richard,
Wow, this big Heron looks really tiny here with that enormous wave coming in! Brilliant capture from a low POV. Beautiful colours and fine details too. Great composition and I like the way you've timed the capture of the wave. Well done!
Many thanks, Ulla

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2413 W: 132 N: 6649] (20861)
  • [2008-04-16 3:51]

Hello Richard,
Not only have you made a fine capture of the Snowy Egret, but the large roller coming in behind it makes both a beautiful and dramatic BG. The POV and composition are just right to include the headland in the BG.
Very fine habitat image and thanks for sharing it!
Have a fine day,
Ivan

The truly wonderful thing about this image isn't the bird; it is the setting. The wave and the green BG and the bird within it is what makes it special. Near infinite DOF for this particular image helps to bring that out.

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2726 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-04-22 9:47]

Hello Richard

What a lovely setting.The illumination is wonderful with rich,vibrant colours.
This shot creates anticipation.
The composition is very good.
Well focused with very good detail.
TFS

Rob

Hi Richard,
Very beautiful scenic shot, the exposure is very nice in this capture. It looks as though the egret is gonna get pummeled as soon as the wave hits, kinda like a mini sunami. TFS
Paul :)

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1029 W: 1 N: 3932] (13252)
  • [2008-04-29 19:58]

Hello Richard,
Sorry I took so long getting back to this incredible image.
I have often said we sometimes miss special images such as this one in an effort to get closer for more detail on the subject. What an outstanding image richard, thank you.
Rick

Hi Richard,
I always like animal photos where its habitat is well captured. This one has even more than just showing its habitat, its got great action as well.
The timing of this photo is superb, not only a crashing wave, but also the foam almost reaching the bird. It all shows a keen eye of a great photographer.
TFS,
Niek

Três planos diferentes e harmonia de cores e luz.

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