| Actual Image
Mirror, Mirror, of the Lake . . . (66)
Callie
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1132 W: 105 N: 2609]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (7531) | | whose neck almost doubles as - a snake!? The species in this family range from the tiny Dwarf Bittern - 25-30 cm to the humongous Goliath Heron (GH), at 152 cm the largest heron in the world. The GH looks a lot like the Purple Heron (PH), but has black legs where the PH has yellow legs, unfortunately below water in this picture. The rufous head and neck and dark grey wings are distinctive of the PH. We call them Rooi Reiers, Red herons, which is a far better name, because there sure ain’t no purple on this heron! It has a black crown & black stripes down the neck. And Bente, you are right, they look like a younger & more flamboyant brother of the grey Heron, who is only slightly bigger. PH does not like to feed in the open & favours sedges & reeds in freshwater bodies. It is a common resident, but its cryptic colour makes for difficult spotting, if you do not know it. ISO 200 @ -0,3 EV; Nikon D70; Sigma 120-300 F2.8 @ Focal length 480 mm; 1/500 @ F8; Aperture Priority Mode; no flash, Pattern Metering Mode; beanbags on car window; cropping all round; little USM & some Hue & saturation brightness; reduced to Site size. |
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