A Smelt's Last Moments
A Great Egret preparing to swallow a surf smelt in the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary.
A Great Egret preparing to swallow a surf smelt in the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary.
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Oct, 2015Views
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People's Choice in here fishy fishy Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the brackish pond in the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. This shallow pond has limited tidal flow and supports a healthy population of small fish throughout most of the year. It also serves as a feeding ground for wading birds, sea birds and other animals.Time
I took this shot just before 6pm on August 20, 2015. As the rising tide forced the large flocks of shorebirds off of Humboldt Bay, I went to stake out a spot along the levee where the sandpipers were gathering, hoping that a Peregrine Falcon would try to hunt them. As I waited for the falcons to take flight from their perch atop a distant electrical tower, I looked over the other side of the levee and saw a Great Egret hungrily snapping up smelt as they gathered around the tidal sluice on the brackish pond. The falcons looked busy preening themselves, so I spent a few minutes sitting by the egret's fishing spot, photographing it as it struck at the water and struggled to swallow the wriggling smelt.Lighting
Only natural light is at play here. The summer evening light around Humboldt Bay is strong enough to allow for fast shutter speeds yet soft enough to prevent harsh shadows or blowouts.Equipment
This was shot on a Nikon D800 with a Sigma 300-800mm f/5.6 zoom lens, handheld.Inspiration
Egrets and Herons make fantastic photo subjects when they let you get close enough for a clear and detailed shot. They move dramatically while fishing and flying, and their bodies create all sorts of bold lines and curves that make for interesting compositions. They appear graceful from afar, but when you can watch their faces and mannerisms up close, they take on the appearance of lanky, goofy dinosaurs that are just bursting with personality.Editing
I made minor color balance and contrast curve adjustments to the image, cropped it for composition and brushed some sharpness into the fish's head (as it was just slightly out of the plane of focus).In my camera bag
I typically carry around a Nikon D800 and Sigma 300-800mm zoom on a shoulder strap when I'm out shooting birds and wildlife. I have a Tamron 24-70mm for closer subject matter and landscapes, a Tokina 90mm f/2.5 for macro work and a Sigma 120-300mm for low-light shooting and situations that require weather sealing.Feedback
The Great Egret in Arcata Marsh's brackish pond is an especially cooperative subject (if you're quiet and calm, it will usually let you settle in next to its feeding spot without a fuss), but not all egrets and herons are this camera-friendly. Learning where and when birds like to eat goes a long way toward getting close up encounters like this. If you can show up at the bird's feeding spot before it does and remain still and quiet, all but the most skittish birds will accept you as part of the landscape and go about their business. For very skittish birds, a blind might be necessary.
