Sometimes ‘grab shots’ turn out better than I expect them to.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Five days ago at Bear River MBR I was looking intensely for Marsh Wrens that I could hear but not see when I happened to look up and spot this adult Black-crowned Night Heron coming my way. For a split second I debated in my mind whether I should even try to get off a few shots because I knew I’d have to get lucky to get ‘him’ in frame and in focus before he was past me.
But the old adage, “you miss every shot you don’t take”, came to mind so I fired off a few grab shots and hoped to get lucky. I got three I like.
This is the first in a series of three photos with no skips. Wings down,…
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
wings in an intermediate position and…
1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
wings up. This is my favorite of the three photos but not by much. I like all three.
I was pleasantly surprised to get that variety in wing positions in my three sharpest and most detailed shots and pleased overall with the image quality, considering that they were grab shots and the bird wasn’t particularly close to me. I wish the backgrounds were more interesting than plain blue skies but I can live with them.
Given the weather we’ve had recently, I’d take blue skies in a heartbeat.
Ron
PS – On an unrelated note, the past ten days or so have been exciting around here, for the following reasons:
- After 32 years of heavy use, my Troy Bilt “Pony” rear tine tiller finally needed to have some significant maintenance work done so it spent several weeks in the shop. It’s running like new again. My tiller is from the days when Troy Bilt made very high quality tillers (unlike today after another company, MTD, bought them out but still sells them as “Troy Bilt”). Who knows, maybe I’ll get another 32 years out of it…
- I had 7 yards of high-quality compost delivered and hauled to my back yard garden (1060 sq. ft.), after which I tilled it in. My garden soil hasn’t looked so good in many years. I hope it performs as well as it looks. Yes, I’m itching to get it planted.
- Diamond Tree Experts gave two of my large Catalpa trees a serious scalping and completely removed another Catalpa that was stunted by shade. Things sure look different around here.
- All week Murray City has been replacing many sidewalks and gutters on my street. With all the big dump and cement trucks, skid loaders, jack hammers and workers jockeying for space and homeowner’s vehicles being displaced from their driveways, the confusion, pandemonium and noise have been insufferable. My afternoon naps are in danger of extinction. I’m looking forward to some ‘normalcy”, whatever that is and whenever it might happen.
If anyone can shoot from the hip, it’s you, Ron! Good looking shots of a good looking heron!
Somehow, you ended up in my spam folder, so I’m a day late (and a dollar short). Glad you got your compost all tilled in and the trees done. Really sorry about the street construction and McMansioning going on in your and April’s area. While there are some nice remodels in our neighborhood (original houses were small with teeny-tiny kitchens and bedrooms), the few tear down McMansions stick out like sore thumbs.
Definite truth to the saying, “They don’t make things like they used to,” be that tillers or houses.
Marty, thankfully the McMansions aren’t anywhere near my neighborhood. They’re in my old neighborhood, Sugarhouse. I haven’t lived there for 30+ years. It makes me sick to go back there now.
Wonderful grab shots. I am so glad that you took the chance.
No afternoon naps? Torture. I hope that is a thing of the past quickly.
“No afternoon naps? ”
I got one in today, EC. In fact I just got up from it, but then it’s Sunday. Tomorrow may be another story.
Nice grab shots. I only saw one black-crowned night heron, I thought going at sunset I would see more. I still have not gone over two days of shooting images. Eric is working on my computer storage and drives. He likes to work out a new drive before using it for permanent storage. He feels if they are going to fail it is usually when relatively new or over 10 years.
With all the house tear downs and rebuilds in my neighborhood I know the problem with noise. We have three nearby houses who’s owners are at the end, two are empty of occupants, and I feel they will flip and mostly likely be torn down and build an over sized lot filling house. One we share a property line with. It’s a shame, these houses are unique and although different create a uniform English cottage feel of the neighborhood. The gigantic every style concoction mansions don’t fit and stand out like a sore.
April, this bird was the only BCNH I saw that day and I was looking for them too. I hope their numbers around here increase soon.
The same thing happened to my old Sugarhouse neighborhood that used to be dominated by cute and stylish bungalows. Now they’re being replaced by McMansions. Sugarhouse has been ruined if you ask me and from what I’ve seen in the news, it’s only going to get worse. And soon.
Glad you got some nice weather. Great shots, I like the middle one the best. Windy and cloudy here, makes it impossible to take flower pictures. Supposed to have the eclipse tomorrow, 47% cloud cover. It will probably be a strange look even with the clouds.
Jo, for the eclipse they’re calling for mostly clear skies around here so we should have a good look, even though it won’t be in totality.
“Spring is in the air” from the sounds of it….. 😉 Other than the construction appears things are going VERY well for you….. 🙂 We’re doing rain/snow tho not in the amounts ultimately needed here. At least the ground is able to take most of it! Things are going to grow like crazy from it for sure! 😉
Judy, I’ve been seeing quite a lot on the internet that suggests that Montana has had very little snow this year. We’ve been lucky, not a lot of snow in the valleys but more than average in the mountains where it matters most.
Wow Ron these are remarkable. The clarity and the catch eye and the colors against that blue sky are come together for an outstanding in-flight series that is close to perfect. #3 for me too, but as you say – not by much. Hope that whole project and noise are gone for you soon.
“Hope that whole project and noise are gone for you soon.”
Thanks, Everett. It’s getting better already because the bulk of the construction activity has moved further down the street.
I ‘m all in favor of blue skies as a background– especially when
the shots are as nicely composed as all 3 of these are– glad you
went for them……I can imagine them as a nice horizontal grouping!
Thanks for appreciating the composition, Kris. That’s one advantage of featureless backgrounds like blue skies – you have more flexibility when it comes to composition.
Your shooting instincts paid off!
Glad you think so, Bruce.
“You miss every shot you don’t take”. Indeed. And boy oh boy did you take the shots. Those are amazing! Kinda favor the first one (shadows and all).
Sounds like new beginnings around the neighborhood. Sounds like spring.
Thanks, Michael. And thanks to Wayne Gretsky for that quote. It often comes to mind when I’m out shooting.
“New beginnings” can be a PITA while they’re happening but the positive results can last for years.
Beautiful! I love the subtle shading in the wings on both the 1st and 3rd shots.
I have a hard time thinking of them and other members of the Heron family as “Heron’s” given how different they are from the Great Blue’s 😉
Thanks, Judy. I know what you mean about herons (and egrets).