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Great Blue Heron Profile


Great Blue Heron Profile
Photo Information
Copyright: Ken Slade (Ken52) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 636 W: 93 N: 1243] (4195)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-09-08
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 350D (Digital Rebel XT), Canon EF 75-300mm 1:4-5.6
Exposure: f/8, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-09-22 18:50
Viewed: 6862
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Lately, I've been taking lots of photos of the Great Blue Herons at the local lake. This one allows me to get very close.

Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias

Characteristics:
The great blue heron is the largest heron in North America. It stands three to four feet tall and has a wingspan of almost six feet. It has blue-gray feathers on most of its body and a plume of feathers on its chest and back. It has a long, pointed yellow bill and long legs. Adults have white on the top of their heads and long black plumes above their eyes. There is also an all white version of the great blue heron, the great white heron, that can be found in southern Florida. It has yellow legs, a yellow bill and white feathers.

Range:
The great blue heron breeds from southern Canada south to the West Indies and Mexico. It winters as far north as southern Alaska and southern New England. It can also be found in the Galapagos Islands.

Diet:
The great blue heron fished for food during the day and at night. It stands in the water and waits for prey like frogs and fish to pass by and then it grabs them with its long bill. It also eats salamanders, lizards, snakes, shrimps, crabs, crayfish, dragonflies, grasshoppers, aquatic insects and occasionally birds and small mammals like mice.

Habitat:
The great blue heron can be found in marshes, rivers, lakes, salt water shores and ponds.

Life Cycle:
The female great blue heron lays three to seven eggs on a shallow platform made of sticks and twigs and lined with soft material. The nest is usually in a tall tree, but it may be built in the reeds or on a cliff edge. The eggs hatch in about a month and the chicks will fledge when they are about two months old. Great blue herons nest in colonies. They usually nest in the same spot from year-to-year. They may even use the same nest.

Behavior:
The great blue heron migrates in the fall, although some stay in the northern part of their range. The great blue heron usually tucks its head into an S-shape when it is resting and flying.

Source: http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/greatblueheron.htm

Aperture = f8.0
Shutter = 1/800s
ISO = 200
Focal Length = 200mm
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens
tuslaw, soccer, robindb, JoseMiguel, Miss_Piggy, nglen, MMM, jaycee, matatur, maurydv, Alex99 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 282 N: 4931] (19883)
  • [2008-09-22 19:18]

Fantastic image Ken,
The clarity and detail is top of the line!! The colors are gorgeous and the exposure is perfect. What a fine capture!!!
Ron

Hi Ken,

With a 300 mm lens you must have been close. Good detail and composition.the eye is prominant and a focal point of the image.
TFS

Robin

Hi Ken,
Certainly this was taken very close.
I like a lot the rich details got, specially on the beak and feathers.
Good lighting and love the composition.
My compliments and thanks for share.
Best regards,
JM

Ken,

A very well composed pic. I like the tight composition as it gives more detail of the subject. The sharpness and detail are good and the image is very clear.
TFS,
Sheriff

Hallo Ken
The patterns and markings on this elegant bird are very clear and obvious. A wonderful arrangement of colours. All in focus showing great details. Truly amazing, and a real delight to look at. Perfect exposure, and excellent portrayel of this beauty. I just love the fine feathers on its head and the yellow eye. Well framed and presented. Thanks for sharing. Much appreciated.
Kind regards
Anna

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2008-09-23 6:55]

Hi Ken. Good to see you again. This is a fine close up of the Heron.very good detail in the feathers and eye. Goon natural colours and use of the light. well done TFS. Interesting notes too.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1114 W: 0 N: 2546] (11425)
  • [2008-09-23 7:18]

Hi Ken
Beautiful portrait.Very sharp image with great detail.Colors are also very nice
TFS Michel

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2008-09-23 9:52]

Hi Ken,

A fantastic close-up of this Heron in profile. Amazing details of the face, eye and beak. The color and clarity of the plummage is beautiful. Absolutely marvelous composition against the blue sky.

Jane

Merhaba Ken,
This is the most beautiful "Great Blue" portrait I have ever seen my friend, you've captured the bird in a perfect profile from a lateral POV with enough DOF to render the whole specimen, from the tip of the beak to the shoulder feathers, sharply in focus, revealing a maximal amount of colour and pattern detail. TFS and cheers,
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • lise Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 169 W: 48 N: 548] (2877)
  • [2008-09-23 14:51]

Hi Ken,
Wow! This is an incredible sharp picture!
The details in the feathers are amazing, wonderful colours.
Very well done
Lise

  • Great 
  • RP1 Gold Star Critiquer [C: 154 W: 1 N: 6] (251)
  • [2008-09-26 19:35]

Hi Kent,
Superb, colourful and sharp photo. Very lucky to get so close.
TFS,
Roger

Ciao Ken,
spettacolare ritratto di airone, eccellenti POV, DOF e composizione, straordinarie la nitidezza e la definizione dei dettagli, meravigliosi i colori.
TFS.
Maurizio

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 0 N: 6696] (25839)
  • [2008-10-07 16:55]

Hello Ken,
what an excellent shot of this well detailed bird.
Very sharp indeed with the eyes and feather well seen.
The composition is great so as to highlight its beauty, it natural look.

Regards,
Foozi

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2008-11-11 8:56]

Hi, Ken.
Simply great portrait of the Heron. Terrific farming, fantastic exactness and richness of colours and ultimate sharpness and details of all details of the bird. My congratulations and TFS.
Alexei.

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