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Early Catch


Early Catch
Photo Information
Copyright: Bill Houghton (poppygan59) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 237 W: 0 N: 344] (2516)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-02-19
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon D60, Canon EF300mm 4/L IS
Exposure: f/4, 1/500 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2011-07-23 9:29
Viewed: 2439
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Great Blue Heron -

It is the largest North American heron, with a head-to-tail length of 91–140 cm (36–55 in), a wingspan of 167–201 cm (66–79 in), and a weight of 2–3.6 kg (4.4–8 lbs). Notable features include slaty flight feathers, red-brown thighs, and a paired red-brown and black stripe up the flanks; the neck is rusty-gray, with black and white streaking down the front; the head is paler, with a nearly white face, and a pair of black plumes running from just above the eye to the back of the head. The feathers on the lower neck are long and plume-like; it also has plumes on the lower back at the start of the breeding season. The bill is dull yellowish, becoming orange briefly at the start of the breeding season, and the lower legs gray, also becoming orangey at the start of the breeding season. Immature birds are duller in color, with a dull blackish-gray crown, and the flank pattern only weakly defined; they have no plumes, and the bill is dull gray-yellow.

The heron stride is around 22 cm (9 in), almost in a straight line. Two of the three front toes are generally closer together. In a track the front toes as well as the back often show the small talons.

The subspecies differ only slightly in size and plumage tone, with the exception of subspecies occidentalis, which as well as normal colored birds, also has a distinct white morph, known as the Great White Heron (not to be confused with the Great Egret, for which "Great White Heron" was once a common name). It is found only in south Florida and some parts of the Caribbean. The Great White Heron differs from other Great Blues in bill morphology, head plume length, and in having a total lack of pigment in its plumage. This is mainly found near salt water, and was long thought to be a separate species. Birds intermediate between the normal morph and the white morph are known as Würdemann's Heron; these birds resemble a "normal" Great Blue with a white head.
The theory that Great White Heron may be a separate species from Great Blue Heron has again been given some support by David Sibley.
jurek1951, Argus, Pentaxfriend, maaciejka, buscape has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Bill,
Superb shot with excelents details. Beautiful pose and composition too.
Jurek

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2011-07-23 9:58]

Hello Bill,
A superb shot from your archives taken in great lighting with fine warm colours that include a great BG, highlighting a Great Blue Heron with its catch.
Thr sharpness and composition are top too. Considring this is 7 years old it is even more remarkable.
Thanks and have a great weekend,
Ivan

Hi Bill,

Beautiful shot of this heron with its pray
Perfect DOF and BG
Excellent sharpness and great colors

Hi Bill,
A Great shot with perfect composition, detail, lighting and BG. Well done my friend.
Regards,
Carl

Gracias por tus amables comentarios Bill.
Tú nos presentas un trabajo fantático muy bien elaborado.
muy real pero bordeando la ficción con ese estupendo fondo.

Buen fin de semana: Josep Ignasi.

Hi Bill,
what an interesting photo. Perfect point of view. Unusual but nice background. Excellent sharpness. Many details.
Have a nice Sunday,
Maciek

Ciao Bill, great capture of wonderful Heron and its prey, fantastic colors, fine details and superb sharpness, very well done, my friend, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2011-07-23 14:42]

Hello Bill,
Great sharp detailed photo in a very nice composition and taken from a good low POV. Excellent timing.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2011-07-23 15:10]

Hi Bill,what a timing and what a moment,a top quality capture whit the best sharpness as possible,i like a lot this strange backgrouns color too.Thanks for share,have a nice Sunday,Luciano

Hello Bill,
great capture of this heron with its prey in its mouth. I especially like the way you have frozen the drops, the fine light and the wonderful colours. My compliments and thanks for sharing this lovely composition.
Best wishes,
Helmut

  • Great 
  • sway Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 305 W: 85 N: 319] (1276)
  • [2011-07-23 19:51]

I like the drops of water falling from the fish.
Is the BG Photoshopped of is it natural?
Great composition

Hello Bill
Impressive action photo! Excellent composition, wonderful colours and very good sharpness.
Regards,
Christodoulos

wonderful shot, I like the colors!
regards Nasos

  • Great 
  • iti Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 577 W: 0 N: 650] (7939)
  • [2011-07-24 6:10]

Hi Bill,
Another great image,fine pose and excellent moment captured.
Gorgeous light and colour background. Nice drops of waters.
Regards Jiri.

Helo Bill,
What a magnificent action shot! The background is absoluletly beautiful too even if Photoshopped although a bit of a natural suggestion to it would have been nice. Very well done indeed.
Neels

Hallo Bill,
a superb capture of the Great Blue Heron with its prey, very good timing, fine details and beautiful colours, excellent point of view and composition.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

Impresionante imagen
Muy buen detalle y un buen enfoque.
El color ocre del fondo de la imagen resalta la silueta del animal y de su presa.
Felicitaciones por un buen trabajo y gracias por compartirlo

Ciao Bill. Great time here and intrigant warm tones. Just like a paint.

Roberto

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