Little Blue Heron

[Bill Foxworthy]

Canon 40D, 400mm f/5.6L Today 8:17AM
ISO320, f/7.1. 1/500sec., +33 EV
I think if I were a little lower it would have helped?

[David Ornstein]

I love the image of the bird itself and I do understand why you're asking if a lower angle of view would have made it better, but I can't visualize it well enough to know how to respond. I cropped it to a square, and I like it better that way. (Is editing another's work an acceptable practice here?)

[Bill Foxworthy]

Hi David, thanks for stopping by. I am known for a square cropper so this crop works well for me. I have just recently started using a 2X3 crop and I hope I can combine the two and have a better crop. I do not mind that you downloaded and re-did this image, It does seem to have improved it. Spme sites do not allow downloading but here it seems OK. Thanks again! :)

[Robert O'Toole]

Hi Bill,

Yes being lower almost always helps by rendering the BG very soft and smooth to make the subject stand out and elminate any OOF water ripples or waves. Also in this case the OOF vegetation would have been less noticable.

The lighting is nice and the subject postion good although I would try a horiz crop on this if possible. Also I usually try to avoid Egret images made when the neck is pulled back, it makes the bird seem ackward and not as appealing as with a extended or normally positioned neck.

Robert

[Jim Poor]

Hey Bill, nice image and Robert has hit on your question really well. I'm not sure this is a Little Blue Heron though, but am more than willing to be wrong.

David,
As for the practice of downloading photos, it is allowed and even encouraged / expected here. The topic was discussed in this thread:

http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3784

[Robert O'Toole]

Hey Bill, nice image and Robert has hit on your question really well. I'm not sure this is a Little Blue Heron though, but am more than willing to be wrong.

David,
As for the practice of downloading photos, it is allowed and even encouraged / expected here. The topic was discussed in this thread:

http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3784

Oh jesus thanks Jim, thats a Reddish Egret!! LOL! Not a LBH!! I even called it an Egret in my post.

Robert

[Bill Foxworthy]

I guess I have trouble with these two birds. I sure thought my book showed this as a little blue in breeding plumage. My Stan Tekiela book doesn't list a Reddish Egret is my problem I guess. What is the real difference between the two ID wise?

[Jim Poor]

When I get home to my Sibley guide, I'll follow up with you.

[Jim Poor]

Ok, have Sibley, will ID ;)

Little Blue Heron (LBH) has pale greenish legs
Reddish Egret (RE) has darker, blue / slate gray legs

LBH Has a bluish bill
RE has Pink bill with a black tip in breeding plumage and a Blue & Pink bill in Non-breeding

LBH has dark, blue neck that looks slimmer and less "furry & fluffy&
RE has reddish neck that is furry & scraggly looking (like a wet mop to me).

There are other differences and it gets even more complicated when you throw in non-adults.
Hope this helps.

[Robert O'Toole]

Thanks Jim that is good info.

Dont forget the Reddish-Egret white morph that accounts for about 9-10% of RE, and is an East coast only morph.

2 other differences come to mind.

Most importantly the Reddish Egret is much more active when feeding, and even dancing wings up, when feeding, while the Little blue is a much more sedentary (boring) feeder. Also the RE is much more territorial and will usually chase off other RE from the feeding area. The RE is my favorite wading bird to photograph not for the good looks but for the non stop action the RE is usually invloved in.


Robert

[Bill Foxworthy]

This is definitely a reddish egret then. He/She stomped the bottom all the way walking towards me. I tried everything I knew trying to get the foot stomping action on my card. I have about 15 images I processed and keepers but I wont bore everyone here with them. :) THANKS!!