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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Nov, 2017Views
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Awards
Winner in Wildlife Up Close Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Magnificent Capture
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Absolute Masterpiece
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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.
