“Great Egret Portrait (horizontal)” — A “head shot” of a great egret.
I have been meaning to share this critter’s head shot for a while. It is a great egret, a bird whose presence in nature is announced by its large size, its long neck, and its striking white plumage. Quite a few of them were around when I visited one of my bird photography haunts in California’s Central Valley.
This one was less bothered by my presence than some. I wasn’t as close as it may appear — I was using a long telephoto lens. But still, egrets have boundaries, and if you cross them they will quickly fly away. But this one stuck around, and even paused in the soft, cloudy light.
“Great Egret Portrait” — A “head shot” of a great egret.
Great egrets are a common sight here in California, from the coastline to inland wetlands and creeks. Their distinctive white plumage makes them stand out in almost any landscape. It doesn’t hurt that they are quite large, too — the largest of several different egret species. I photographed this one at a wetland area in California’s Central Valley on a foggy day that softened the light.
In some ways it is easy to photograph them, but in others it can be tricky. It is a bit easier to fill the frame with an egret since the birds are large. They also tolerate human presence… up to a point. So, it isn’t too hard to photograph them on the ground. Catching them in flight is a different matter. Most often they will be flying away from me, and when they take off they often do so suddenly and without much warning.
