alanpeterson

Feasting on Shrimp

A Snowy Egret discovered a treasure trove of shrimp in one of the channels of the McDaniel Slough salt marsh. It spent the entire afternoon plucking them out of...
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A Snowy Egret discovered a treasure trove of shrimp in one of the channels of the McDaniel Slough salt marsh. It spent the entire afternoon plucking them out of the muddy water and chasing off rival egrets.
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NIKON D500

settings

Aperture f/9 ISO 640 Shutter 1/3200 Focal Length 8000/10

upload_date

Nov, 2017

Views

483

Likes

+68

Awards

Winner in Wildlife Up Close Photo Challenge

Peer Award

+27

Magnificent Capture

Top Choice

Absolute Masterpiece

Superb Composition

Outstanding Creativity

All Star

Genius

Superior Skill

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Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

A Barn Swallow feeding its fledglings at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary.

As a Gentoo Penguin chick wakes up from a nap, its parent bends over for a feeding.

A young Northern Harrier patrols the freshwater ponds at Arcata Marsh as the sun sets.

A Chinstrap Penguin cares for its chicks on a rookery above Orne Harbor along the Antarctic Peninsula.

A Short-eared Owl at sunset in Arcata Bottoms

An Anna's Hummingbird is startled by a passing bee.

Rays of sun piercing the fog in a spruce forest at Patrick's Point State Park.

The forests in Trinidad, California reach right up to the edges of the oceanside bluffs. As the sun sets over the pacific, the branches are bathed in

A Mallard quacks at an approaching Greater Yellowlegs as the sun sets at Arcata Marsh's brackish pond.

A Great Egret swallowing a fry in the McDaniel Slough tidal wetlands at Arcata Marsh

Sun beams in the fog at Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park.

An Osprey was perched on a tree over the path that lead back to my car at Clear Lake, California. I thought it would fly away as I walked under it, bu

A Short-eared Owl takes off after an unsuccessful dive while hunting at dusk in the Mad River Slough Wildlife Area.

The Great Gray Owl visiting Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park perches on the fence near the road and scans the embankment for voles.

A harbor seal sits on a rock, shrouded by the coastal fog on Trinidad State Beach.

Hugo (top) and Olaf (bottom) from a portrait shoot for the HumCats cat art festival.

One Short-eared Owl trying to steal a vole from another at Arcata Bottoms.

Another Wood Duck drake has visited Sequoia Park.

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Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken in the McDaniel Slough salt marsh in Arcata, California. After being diked off from Arcata Bay for over a century, a wetland restoration project opened roughly 140 acres of land to tidal flow five years ago. Since then, several prey species have established themselves in the intertidal zone, and it has become a favorite foraging spot for wading birds and shorebirds. After leaving their rookery on an island in the middle of the bay, Snowy Egrets like this arrive in the late summer to hunt for fish and shrimp as the tide recedes.

Time

This was taken in the early evening, shortly after 5pm.

Lighting

Only natural light was used in this photo. I usually time my photography outings for the mornings and evenings to take advantage of the relatively soft and warm sunlight.

Equipment

I took this photo with a Nikon D500 and Sigma 300-800mm zoom, handheld.

Inspiration

Snowy Egrets are some of the most enthusiastic hunters we get around Humboldt Bay. They run after fish in the shallow water, they jiggle their yellow feet in the shallows to scare fish out of hiding, they plunge their necks into the water while striking, and they bicker amongst themselves over fishing territory. They end up in all sorts of great poses while fishing, and their white feathers make them stand out from most natural backgrounds. I don't think I've ever regretted spending time photographing Snowy Egrets.

Editing

I made color balance and contrast curve adjustments, then cropped the image for composition.

In my camera bag

For photographing birds, I usually carry a Nikon D500 and Sigma 300-800mm zoom on a shoulder strap.

Feedback

Like most birds, Snowy Egrets are usually fairly flighty if you approach them. However, they do usually feed in predictable patterns, making their way along the shore or through channels of water, and many of them are willing to approach a photographer waiting quietly and still along the shore.

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Feasting on Shrimp