Sacred Ibis

[Ken Watkins]

Another shot from one of our many trips up and down Lake Manze channel, Selous Game reserve, Tanzania, 6th July 2012

EOS 1D MkIV

500mm F4 hand held from drifting boat

F5, ISO 800, 1/1000, EV -0.33

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Ken, excellent exposure on the Ibis, especially the head and bill. I like the surrounding foliage too. This looks like a juvi.

[arash_hazeghi]

this is cool, I like the display of environment and the low angle plus the water drop. sharp details too

[Ken Watkins]

Stuart,
It could be a juvenile I have no idea my knowledge of birds is lamentable.

[PhilCook]

Nice light control Ken, and like the floating weed in this too, sits in the frame well and even like the droplet on the beak.

A very common bird here, and in many places a nuisance bird as they scavenge widely making a mess and get rather grotty looking....darn ugly looking, makes one wonder how they ever got the title;e " Sacred "

[Ken Watkins]

Phil,

This is what it says in Wikepedia

"A wading bird of the ibis family, Threskiornithidae, the Sacred Ibis breeds in sub-Saharan Africa, southeastern Iraq, and formerly in Egypt, where it was venerated and often mummified as a symbol of the god Thoth"