Heron riding back of submerged hippo

[Carl Walker]

There is a water point called Sunset dam just north of the Lower Sabi River Camp in the Kruger National Park. THERE IS ALWAYS AMAZING bird and animal action throughout the day here especially during the winter period. Spent much of my time here during my daily forays into the park over a 2 1/2 week period this past July.

A lot of the cats frequent the surrounds of the Sabi River and this area is superb for leopard and lion sightings amongst many others. So one could dabble at the dam shooting away merrily while a buddy with radio contact would keep you updated on anything interesting

There were a lot of herons around and most would sit on the backs of hippo hopping from one to another until the hippo got annoyed and reared up and down or snorted and blasted water at it.

Most often, as in this image, the heron would ride along on the back of a submerged hippo and wait for an opportunity to catching fish coming by as the hippo moves through shoals of tilapia.

Here the heron is facing backwards whilst the hippo moves from right to left underwater as can be seen, hopefully, by the wake of the birds legs. I captured the attempt here by the heron to snatch a fish as can be seen by the river of droplets. The dam seemed to be teeming with fish and that is why the feeding frenzy of animals and birds alike was a constant frenzy of action at the time.

I need more room all round as this was almost FF so it was difficult to comp without adding canvas.

PSCC - levels, curves, sat, NR


1D Mk iv
canon 300mm f2,8 L IS USM + 2 X extender
ISO 800 - F8 - 1/2000 sec - = 0,3 EV - AP

C&C always welcomed. Thank you

[Joe Senzatimore]

Interesting story to compliment a very fine image.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Carl, was in kruger for a week in July ( 20th onwards ) so I can relate to this behaviour as I witnessed it first hand too. I like the raised wings, good feather detail, and well timed to catch the trailing water from the bill.

We didnt see any cats for the whole week we were there.

[Carl Walker]

Thanks Stu and Joe. Yeah same time as me Stu. Can't believe you never saw any. In one morning from Croc bridge to Nkuhlu there were 9 separate sightings. Thats like a distance of 45 odd kms. I know there is a high density of leopard there but that is a lot. I saw 4 of those but none of them were great sightings.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Great pose and light Carl. Nice IQ and PP work. Maybe for my taste more space all around but thats minor...Great droplets off the beak.

[Satish Ranadive]

Excellent image in nice lights. Very nice action captured. Love the colors, details, droplets trail from the beak and composition too.

Regards,
Satish.

[David Salem]

Nice story and a good looking frame to go along with it. The techs look great and I like the water coming from the bill. Well done.

[Arthur Morris]

Very interesting behavior. Sharp with a perfect EXP. Nice light. If you had been able to move ten yards to your right and excellent image would have been that much better. Anybody know why?

[Robert Kimbrell]

Excellent behavior shot. I sure wish it were mine. Nice sharpness and exposure. I would also enjoy a shot were part of the Hippo was visible. A stab at Art's question. As presented with the heron facing to the right, the shot is past perpendicular, Moving to the right would give the angle of the bird moving toward the viewer, despite the fact that he is actually moving backward in this case.
An excellent post and story.

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Robert, You are on the right track. But not quite there yet.... When you say that the shot is past perpendicular do you mean that the bird is angled away from the viewer?

[Robert Kimbrell]

Hi Robert, You are on the right track. But not quite there yet.... When you say that the shot is past perpendicular do you mean that the bird is angled away from the viewer?

Yes Art, That is what, I was meaning. Although a lovely shot, I agree moving the camera to the right would have made an even a stronger image.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Robert. What I was driving at is that if he moved to the right he would not only have better parallelled the subject but he would have been more on light angle. That would have eliminated the shadow of the near-wing on the back of the bird's neck....