White-faced Heron fishing

[Tony Whitehead]

These small herons are usually quite difficult to approach. I was lucky to find a pair that were protecting and hunting a pool that contained baitfish trapped by the receding tide and they were completely relaxed with me sitting nearby. I would have preferred it if the BG heron had not overlapped but there was no way of changing things as they were both quite mobile as they hunted.
Nikon D300
Nikon 200-400 @330mm
ISO 800, 1/1000 f4
Matrix -0,3
Slightly burnt in BG bird and rock LLC to push them further into the BG.
Comments and advice appreciated as always.

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Agree with your self critique. Great looking heron, the blurred fish adds action to the image.

[Steve Canuel]

Agree with you on the BG bird. The merge is pretty dominant and is one of the first things noticed. This is an attractive bird though and I like the undulating body position of the fish. That and the spraying water drops give it a real sense of trying to escape.

[John Blumenkamp]

I agree with others comments, but still like all that's happening with the main subject and it's catch. The eye on the small fish and water drops are great.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Tony, good sharp detail from the front heron, and I like the sprayed water from the wriggling fish. As mentioned, pity about the merging heron in the BG. These herons look pretty large. How do they compare in size, to either our grey herons, or the larger goliath heron. Cheers.

[Tony Whitehead]

These herons look pretty large. How do they compare in size, to either our grey herons, or the larger goliath heron. Cheers.

They're pretty small, Stuart. 67cm - about the size of a Yellow-billed egret.

[Harshad Barve]

one fine image Tony ,
BTW merging BG heron do not bother me at all as my eyes are rivetted to action by main heron
TFS

[Geraldo Hofmann]

I like it, ...actually I think the bird in the bg makes it a different picture, would be nice it the beaks would have formed a cross .... but hey this is nature.
Geraldo

[Stu Bowie]

Thanks for the feedback Tony. I should have read your introduction properly, as you stated they were small.