Egret Strike Closeup
A Great Egret striking at a fish in the McDaniel Slough tidal wetlands at Arcata Marsh
A Great Egret striking at a fish in the McDaniel Slough tidal wetlands at Arcata Marsh
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Mar, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Arcata, California. As part of a tidal wetland restoration project two years ago, the marsh has gained 40 acres of salt marsh that provide a rich feeding ground for egrets, herons and other fishing birds. This Great Egret visits the same pool there almost every day as the tide recedes to fish for smelt and sticklebacks.Time
I usually patrol the wetlands around Humboldt Bay during the late afternoon and evening to take advantage of the warmer/softer sunlight and the peak hours of wildlife activity. This evening, I was walking back along the levee from the mouth of McDaniel Slough, and noticed a large, white bird flying in my direction as the sun broke through the clouds. I sat down at the base of the levee to see if it would approach, and sure enough, it caught several fish right in front of me. This shot was taken at 6:13pm on March 29, 2015.Lighting
This photo was taken in natural light. It had been overcast for part of the afternoon, but there was a fortunate break in the clouds just as I was preparing to photograph this egret.Equipment
This was taken with a Nikon D800 and a Sigma 300-800mm f/5.6 zoom lens. It was taken handheld with the lens' foot balanced on my knee as I sat on the levee.Inspiration
I've been a life-long nature lover, and have greatly enjoyed the natural bounty of coastal Humboldt County since I moved there five years ago. Arcata Marsh in particular is an inspiring place to be; it started as a civil engineering project at the site of a condemned landfill and an abandoned plywood mill 30 years ago and has become one of the biggest biodiversity hotspots in California during the subsequent decades. It's rare to take a walk there without encountering picturesque bird life, and some of the animals there (like this Great Egret) are accustomed enough to the marsh's human visitors to go about their natural behavior with onlookers nearby.Editing
I did some minor color balance adjustments to add a bit of warmth to the image (the Sigma glass tends to render out somewhat on the cool side if uncorrected), and adjusted the curves to add contrast to the shadows. It's cropped so that the shape of the splashing water and the egrets neck are balanced in the frame (the uncropped frame had the egret's entire neck and most of the neck's reflection in it).In my camera bag
While exploring bird-rich areas, I attach my Nikon D800 to the Sigma 300-800mm zoom and carry it around with a Joby Sling Strap. If i'm going to be staking out a spot for more than a few minutes, I'll take a monopod to rest the lens on, but otherwise I shoot handheld.Feedback
Being patient and observant helps a lot with shooting birds. Most of my favorite shots have come from identifying patterns in birds' behavior (i.e. favorite feeding spots and times of peak activity) so that I can set up before they arrive and sit by quietly as they go about their business.
