Little Blue Heron Makes a Catch

[Melissa Groo]

Canon 1D Mark IV
500mm +1.4 III
Gitzo 3530LS/Wimberley Tripod

ISO 800
1/1600 sec
f/5.6

Took this one very very cold morning at a Fort Myers beach in early January. It was extremely windy and cold, and I was cursing as I only had my Teva sandals on and had been walking through the water, and as I later found out, the wind chill was in the 20s. I had no hat or gloves. I lasted about an hour and a half before I fled, not long after I took this shot.
So interesting to see the muted colors of the Little Blue Heron in non-breeding plumage, since they get so intensely blue during breeding season. The low light about an hour after sunrise created a very yellowish hue so I did some desaturation of the yellows in Lightroom. I did want to keep some of the warmth that the light imparted to her subtle colors.
I realize the nictitating membrane is partly over the eye. I chose to leave it this way as it's natural behavior that I like to capture.
Cropped a bit, sharpened, levels.
Thanks so much in advance for any comments and critiques.

[Bill Dix]

Great pose and beautiful light, Melissa. The suspended catch is definitely a plus. I guess I would have ID'd this as a Reddish Egret, although the lightness of the legs throws me off. I never realized Little Blue's showed that coloration.

[Anette Mossbacher]

Lovely image Melissa. Love the light, the wind blowing it's feathers of the back of the head, the little fish flying between the beak. Just great :bg3:
The details look great to me. The eye might could use a little more touch of sharpening, but that is just me :S3:
Ciao
Anette

[dankearl]

Nice subtle light and I like that you kept the one little drop in.
Attractive bird, one I have never seen in person, smooth attractive BG.

[jack williamson]

I have never seen a Little Blue Heron this color. Well exposed and sharp with a fine shooting angle. I love the capture of the minnow being maneuvered around for swallowing.

[Karl Egressy]

Great light and excellent pose, Melissa. The little fish in the beak adds interest. I also like the pattern of the water and the wind blown feathers on the head.

[Dave Leroy]

Good for you to brave the cold and get an excellent photo. I really like the nice soft light, lovely bg and low shooting angle. The minnow is a real nice bonus.

[PhilCook]

Looks very good on my monitor Melissa, I rather like the more subtle lighting and color. Liking especially the clean backdrop that sets off the bird nicely...not much I see that needs changing on this one....just that one tiny black speck a bit above the main water ripples

[Nick Palmieri]

Nice job. the detail in the bird is gorgeous.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Melissa, winter light always produces great results, and I really like the overall IQ in this. Good low perspective, and well timed to capture the tossing of the tiny catch. Your sharpness is spot on, as is the space around the heron. Well captured. Dont you forget about the cold after producing images like this. :w3

[Dennis Zaebst]

Very good image and great timing.

It is easy to mistake the reddish egret to a breeding plumage little blue, because many of them have reddish neck and head at this time. As an aside, I recently mistakenly ID'd a LBH in breeding plumage for a reddish egret in warm early light, and even posted it here (heh). They can be told apart by the size and the color of the bill excluding the blackish tip: Reddish egrets have a pink or salmon-colored bill, and the LBH has a grayish or bluish bill. Also, the reddish often, not always, has more long feathers about the neck.

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Sweet light, excellent IQ and nice low angle. Your timing couldn't be any better. I'd have mistaken this for a reddish, so thanks for the lesson. Excellent image, Melissa.

[Marina Scarr]

Lovely light, action and sharpness. Love that one water drop and the fish in mid-beak.

[Frank Schauf]

Superb shot! Excellent pose, great background, and very nice details.

[Melissa Groo]

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

[gail bisson]

Hi Melissa,
I am late to the party.
Really nice shot. Great light and action and love the single water drop.
I would clone out the little blue blob on the LHS 1/3rd of the way from bottom of frame and would add 1 point of black to the neutrals to make image pop a bit more.
Well done and a keeper for sure,
Gail