Great Egret Patrolling the Beach

[Daniel Cadieux]

A bit of a Florida feel here, but actually an image taken locally up here two weekends ago. They are still rather uncommon up here (but regular in their favorite spots), only being seen with any regularity these past few years so people are still excited to see them. Seemingly growing in numbers every year too. These guys are not as tame as their southern U.S. siblings and spook quite easily so this was exciting to have one walk so close to me (I suppose it helped that I was laying in the mud as flat as I could)

Canon 7D + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/2000s., f/8, ISO 400, natural light, handheld from prone on the mud, more than FF (added canvas at left and above, needed to switch to vertical after this!), slightly lightened the black leg via dodge tool.

[adrian dancy]

I had readied myself to upload a similar species. Yours was perhaps a little better than mine so I abandoned the idea

Good shooting angle and composition and the whites have held very nicely. A foot up is always a bonus with wading birds. All in, nice work Daniel.

[gail bisson]

A great find for your area Daniel. We are starting to get a few here in the Maritimes as well.
Great POV and I really like the colors of the BG.
Always nice to have a foot in mid-stride above the water.
I would rotate this CW a tiny little bit.
IQ is excellent as always with nice light. Exposure looks spot on.
Gail

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Dan, I like the intense stare/pose, seems like he's spotted a fish. Whites looks good, and the Egret pops nicely against your water BG. I do like the water between the toes. Rotation wise, I can see what Gail is maybe looking at, but if I look on the LHS of your image, Im seeing the ripples as level.

[Karl Egressy]

Nice find and excellent low angle shot, Daniel. The raised foot gives you a sense of motion.

[Randy Stout]

Daniel:

The low POV really emphasizes the long neck, well exposed, like the lifted leg and subtle reflection, soft bg.

I saw one fly over our lake in Northern Michigan. Have been very rare in that area, but a few are filtering in as the climate warms.

Cheers

Randy

[Sandy Witvoet]

Love the "shades of blue" BG, and strolling pose of the Egret. Orange bill pops nicely!
These are rare in my area of N. MI too.... We did have one visit the lake for a couple of weeks last year during Fall migration.... (and yes, much more skittish than their southern cousins!)

[Joseph Przybyla]

Lovely, Daniel. Good find for your area, you must have been excited. I'll try to send more up your way if you will do the same with you Snowy Owls. Thank you for sharing.