11/20/2009

The Many Shapes of Great Blue Herons

heron ready aim
I love how Great Blue Herons can assume so many different shapes.

great blue heron s-curve
The S-curve is my very favorite.

angular s curve
This is a modified, angular S-curve

neck tuck heron
With his necked fully tucked, you would never know just how long this bird can get!

GBH or Ostrich
Sometimes, a heron can look more like an Ostrich!

Red Highlights
And at times, Great Blue Herons actually appear more red than blue!

great blue heron catch
This heron fished from inside a boat - and caught a little something!
He looks pretty happy to me.

salem end heron standing
Most of the time, I get lousy shots of Great Blue Herons. This picture was taken the day after I went to Charles's pond.

salem end GBH
These last two were taken from the woods near Salem End Road bridge in Framingham. In the old days, I would have been happy just to see a GBH.

heron fleeing lake cochituate
This was taken last week at Amputee Veterans Park on Lake Cochituate. The Great Blue Heron and a family of Mallards took off as I approached.

hiddenheron
This was the best I could get today, at the same location. In my defense, I have had little time for birding or photography this month. But I will keep searching for Great Blues whenever I can!

6 comments:

  1. Fantastic photos (love the eyes)! I'd like to meet one of those Ostrich-herons...and the fancy topknot is striking too!

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  2. You never have to apologize for the lousy shots - that's the great thing about these modern cameras - sooner of later you get great shots, and it doesn't cost an arm and leg and put lots of chemicals into the environment. Your GBHE shots are super! - and it takes the eye in the field and back on the computer to get those kinds of shots.

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  3. Susan, great looking series of close ups of a GBH! They are such beautiful birds!

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  4. Chris, thanks so much for your encouraging words. I have to admit that my photography skills are improving ever so slowly, but I'll need a much better camera and a monster lens to counteract the fact that I sound like a herd of buffalo whenever I move, and I can't stay still for five seconds. (I have the worst case of ADHD I've ever seen!)I can't figure out how to use a tripod or monopod while moving around, either! I am optimistic, though, because I am getting better each day that I'm out there. I'll never match your skills, but I might be pretty OK someday!

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  5. I appreciate the compliments, Kelly and Hilke. Now, if I could only learn how to find bird species the way you both do so well . . . why, I'd be flying on air myself!

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  6. I love your pictures. I have several myself of the same bird, and many others. I'm slowly updating my blog with photo's, but I'd like to share pictures. I love taking pictures of these birds, and others. Enjoyed these pictures very much.

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I love positive comments, critical comments,and corrections most of all!