Keeper of the Falls

[CmazzJK]

I have spent the last two months trying to catch a Great Blue Heron close enough for my 70-200 and after several failed attempts to get within 200 feet of any one I have come across I had pretty much given up... Lately I have been lacking motivation to get up early and get out with my camera. Today was no different as I hit the snooze button and woke up late again. Still for some reason I decided to go out and see what I could find. I hit up a local preserve which I consider the most photogenic in the local area and found myself taking the same boring pictures I always do and was in the process of putting my camera away and leaving when I look out on the river and notice a GBH staring down the rapids almost in a trance. I of course have a 16-35 on my camera and as slow as I could grabbed my 70-200 and as I grab my lens I watch the heron fly away... So, at this point I put my 70-200 on anyway and try to take some close up shots of this section of rapids just for S&G's. After maybe five minutes of not getting what I want and turn to leave and notice the Great Blue Ghost was literally forty feet away from me, with a section of rapids/falls in the background of the setting. I took as many photos as I could without spooking it and literally have never been happier taking pictures in my life. After what felt like hours watching this evasive creature just peacefully watch over it's domain, I put up the legs and look back out at my new friend, but like a ghost it was gone again. It's days like this that make me want to be religious. Anyway here is what I think is the best from the set. Enjoy.

 

[Derrel]

Pretty good setting.

One comment. I used to fish a local river almost daily. On moving water like rivers and creeks, GBH's seem pretty territorial about "their" specific fishing holes. Unlike on ponds and lakes, in moving water, the inside bends and at drops and rapids like the above, GBH's will station themselves right where fast water brings food into slow water like that. In moving water "some locations" are gold mines, and others are very,very poor for this type of feeding/hunting. Typically, at inside bends--in effect places JUST like the one seen above, some certain spots are very high-value fishing holes for GBH's.

What I have found is that the SAME GBH will tend to fish "his" or "her" spot every single day, and will drive off other birds that want to fish that spot, and if you wear the SAME HAT and the SAME fishing clothes (like I used to do, a favorite hat and a specific brand of long-sleeved anti-sun shirt!) within a week of very slow approaching, a GBH will come to accept you. But...if you switch clothing one day,and wear a new hat, or a different shirt, that same bird will immediately spook and leave his/her fishing spot. I noticed this behavior over a seven year period when I lived near the river. GBH's often have a 300- yard or so "turf" where only they fish. I once witnessed a 20-minute, multi-sparring session battle between a GBH and an osprey over a particularly smolt-rich eddy where every 10 minutes or so, a nice, dead 9-inch steelhead smolt would just pop up...freshly killed by the many salmon/steelhead anglers fishing upstream at the dam about 3 miles. The osprey was driven off repeatedly. GBH's around here WILL come to accept a specific human, as long as they can recognize the individual person.

 

[IzzieK]

Wow Derrell......that was a mouthful of inspiration and knowledge. Thanks for the tip.

Anyway, CmassJK, that is a very beautiful shot -- very sharp and has the right pose.

 

[CmazzJK]

Pretty good setting.

One comment. I used to fish a local river almost daily. On moving water like rivers and creeks, GBH's seem pretty territorial about "their" specific fishing holes. Unlike on ponds and lakes, in moving water, the inside bends and at drops and rapids like the above, GBH's will station themselves right where fast water brings food into slow water like that. In moving water "some locations" are gold mines, and others are very,very poor for this type of feeding/hunting. Typically, at inside bends--in effect places JUST like the one seen above, some certain spots are very high-value fishing holes for GBH's.

What I have found is that the SAME GBH will tend to fish "his" or "her" spot every single day, and will drive off other birds that want to fish that spot, and if you wear the SAME HAT and the SAME fishing clothes (like I used to do, a favorite hat and a specific brand of long-sleeved anti-sun shirt!) within a week of very slow approaching, a GBH will come to accept you. But...if you switch clothing one day,and wear a new hat, or a different shirt, that same bird will immediately spook and leave his/her fishing spot. I noticed this behavior over a seven year period when I lived near the river. GBH's often have a 300- yard or so "turf" where only they fish. I once witnessed a 20-minute, multi-sparring session battle between a GBH and an osprey over a particularly smolt-rich eddy where every 10 minutes or so, a nice, dead 9-inch steelhead smolt would just pop up...freshly killed by the many salmon/steelhead anglers fishing upstream at the dam about 3 miles. The osprey was driven off repeatedly. GBH's around here WILL come to accept a specific human, as long as they can recognize the individual person.

Thanks for the info Derrel, I know this guy/girl stays in the area it isn't the first time I have seen it but usually as soon as he sees me he is gone. I guess today was just my day

 

[CmazzJK]

Wow Derrell......that was a mouthful of inspiration and knowledge. Thanks for the tip.

Anyway, CmassJK, that is a very beautiful shot -- very sharp and has the right pose.

Thanks Izzie