Reddish Egret...

[Joseph Przybyla]

I captured this image at Ft. Desoto County Park in Pinellas County, Florida. This bird has become one of my favorites to photograph. The feathers on the neck and head remind me of the mane on a lion, they resemble fur. The antics of this bird when feeding are a joy to watch, wings outstretched and flapping running across the tidal shallows watching for prey it might scare up. Then stopping to plunge it's head into the water to snatch it up.

Nikon D7000
Nikon 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6 VRII AF shot at 300mm (450mm FFE)
1/640 F/5.6 ISO 180, post processed in Lightroom 5

[Randy Stout]

Reds are great birds to photograph, with strong characters and irascible natures.

Nice breeding plumage, sharp.

Wish the water was a bit cleaner, and the head was turned a bit more in profile.

Well exposed.

Cheers

Randy

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

Nice shot, Joseph! Nice color, clarity & focus. Love the ripples in the water too. well done!

[Greg Oakley]

Really interesting species Joseph and lovely image. Looks like breeding plumage?

[Holger Leyrer]

Wonderful bird nice captured. Only the water is a little bit dirty (but this is nature).