took a trip to the coast...image heavy

Long time no post...I know.

Been really busy with my new baby. but got a chance to get away for a day trip. So I set the alarm for 3:15 am and setoff for the coast. it ended up taking only about 2:30 hours so I had time to get breakfast and meet a friend at his hotel before sunrise.

We headed over to Huntington beach state park, one of the top bird hot spots for South Carolina. Year round this spot usually has great activity. we planned to shoot a sunrise on the beach but found so much activity on the causeway we just shot there.

I am going to start off with my 2 favorite that made my day.

this is probably my favorite of the day and almost made the whole trip worth it alone, I will probably print this large.
1) Anhinga


2) my other favorite - snowy egret flipping a fish


3) water drops


4)spoonbill


5)Group of wood storks working together.


6)tricolored in the light


7)Green heron


8) Radar the egret, well known as it has a very large tracking device but always sticks around Huntington. you can see 1 of the antennas on its back


9) radar perched.


10) Radar with a small fish

 

11) Snowy Egret in sunrise water reflection


12)Snowy after it chased another off


13) the chase


14) Tricolor "this seems like a good place to fish"


15)Another photo of the spoonbill


16)Wood stork in morning light.


17) Egret Reflection


18)Tricolor thru the grass


19)Wood stork with slightly wider view, doing something a little different with this one


20)Anhinga minimalistic

 

Wow! These are all outstanding, So I'll just agree with your picks

 

Wonderful!!

 

I have no proper word

just

wow

 

Damned fine work. If I was a bird, I'd hire you to take my portrait....would you take payment in eggs? Or fish?

I love #1, #17, and #20 the mostest. Great detail combined with bokeh, good complimentary colors, excellent compositions.

 

I was afraid to even open this thread, because I knew I'd just jealous of your skills AND your proximity to the beach!

I was right; I'm jealous. But it was worth opening to see these tremendous shots! Love that first one and the first one of the spoonbill as well.

 

WOW! These are fantastic. I have to say #1 and #4 are my favorites but they are all so very good.

 

Really nice shots! Great color and subject matter.

 

Sweetness all the way around!

Interesting, there is a Huntington Beach here also that is a hotbed for shorebirds (Bolsa Chica Wetlands).

 

Mathew, these are just great images. Hard to pick a favourite.

WesternGuy