Beautiful Morning!

[coastalconn]

Wow this morning was just an amazing day to be out in nature. Perfect weather. Had a few Ospreys on my normal spot after they went missing for a bit. Also found a nice Juvenile Little Blue heron in the salt-marshes. And just a wildflower thrown in... Comments welcome..

1

Osprey Bloody Talon 1 by krisinct, on Flickr

2

Fall Osprey Portrait by krisinct, on Flickr

3

Juvi Little Blue landing in salt marsh by krisinct, on Flickr

4

Juvi Little Blue Heron in flight 2 by krisinct, on Flickr

5

Wildflowers 9_19 by krisinct, on Flickr

 

[sm4him]

The colors in #4 are just exquisite! I've been trying to remind myself lately that closer isn't *always* better, and this is a good example of that. The colorful field adds so much to this photo.

It is a drop-dead gorgeous day here as well. Unfortunately, I am looking at it from inside my office.
Hoping tomorrow is just as nice--it's supposed to start raining Saturday, so I'm taking tomorrow off and working some on Saturday instead, so I can head up to my favorite spot again. The water level is reportedly down enough now for some shorebirds to start showing up.

 

[baturn]

All amazing as usual but I pick three for the birds posture. H ow do you distinguish between a juvi lbh and an egret?

 

[sm4him]

All amazing as usual but I pick three for the birds posture. H ow do you distinguish between a juvi lbh and an egret?

That can be a tough call, but some of the things to look for:
--Feet. Great egret is usually all dark, legs and feet. Snowy egret's feet are usually a brighter yellow, and the juvenile LBH has kind of pea-green/yellow feet with the color extending part of the way up the leg.
--Little blues usually have just a small bit of dark gray in the wingtips; to be honest, I'm not seeing that very well here, but my eyes aren't the best either. Egrets wings are all white.
--Bill. Great egret is usually more yellow; snowy egret is darker, mostly black with some yellow at the base.

Those are my usual indicators. But again, to be honest, all of those except maybe the feet are making this look more like a snowy to me. But Kris was there, and knows more about them than I do!

 

[JacaRanda]

Yup, loving the colors in 3, 4 and 5. Feels much more like Spring than it does the Fall.

Always take the time to fill and then empty the lungs before, after and even during the shoot.

Maybe even let out a great big giant Tarzan yell. Let the animals know it's picture time.

 

[Tiller]

#'s 3 and 4 are stunning!

 

[Derrel]

I like the one of the white juvenile landing in the marsh...simple, yet compelling to me.

 

[coastalconn]

Thanks Everyone!

The colors in #4 are just exquisite! I've been trying to remind myself lately that closer isn't *always* better, and this is a good example of that. The colorful field adds so much to this photo.

I tell myself that also, but then I always tell myself "closer is better"

All amazing as usual but I pick three for the birds posture. H ow do you distinguish between a juvi lbh and an egret?

Sharon summed it up very well below...

That can be a tough call, but some of the things to look for:
--Feet. Great egret is usually all dark, legs and feet. Snowy egret's feet are usually a brighter yellow, and the juvenile LBH has kind of pea-green/yellow feet with the color extending part of the way up the leg.
--Little blues usually have just a small bit of dark gray in the wingtips; to be honest, I'm not seeing that very well here, but my eyes aren't the best either. Egrets wings are all white.
--Bill. Great egret is usually more yellow; snowy egret is darker, mostly black with some yellow at the base.

Those are my usual indicators. But again, to be honest, all of those except maybe the feet are making this look more like a snowy to me. But Kris was there, and knows more about them than I do!

The funny thing is, there was a great egret there, along with 2 Juvi Little blue and a Snowy Egret (I know sounds like bad bird humor like they should be walking into a bar)... I could have sworn the Juvi took flight. When I got home I had t go to work so I did a quick upload without paying much attention... I looked later and nticed the yellow at the base of the bill and realized this was indeed a Snowy Egret... Oops, sorry...
This is a Snowy.. Black bill with yellow at base, yellow feet, black/yellow legs

Snowy Egret with an itch by krisinct, on Flickr
This is a great Egret, much bigger (almost twice as big) All yellow bill, black feet and legs

Great Egret Flight 2 by krisinct, on Flickr
This is a little blue same size as snowy.. pale yellowish legs/feet. pale yellowish blueish bill and the slight greyish wingtips...

Juvenile Little Blue Heron at sunset by krisinct, on Flickr

 

[sm4him]

Ah, okay--I'm *really* glad to know that was a Snowy, because after I'd posted, I kept looking at it and wondering how on earth that was a juvenile LBH. Glad to know that my eyes weren't just playing tricks on me...
They are beautiful pictures, of WHATEVER white heron-ish bird they happen to be.