First Bittern

[Normcar]

The Bittern was on my wish list, and it just flew into my life today. Ack, I hope that this is indeed a Bittern (just had a hot flash that one of you may crush my dreams and tell me it's a...something else).

Bulletin: This is a Night Heron, not a Bittern...but that's okay, I finally got a decent Heron photo (Thanks to Geoff the mistake has been corrected)

I began photographing about 100 feet from this bird, behind bushes and tangles,and ended up 20 feet away, slucking through the muck, inch by inch.Great experience!I was getting very bored and tired until this fella entered stage right. Below are shots of the bird and my sacrificial shoes that were already falling apart. Man does this bird have nice eyes. Strangely, I had to think twice about stepping into the muck with these old running shoes. However, once in it was kinda warm and squishy and nice feeling. I only stopped trying to get closer when the muck began feeling like quick-sand.

I emptied 2 cards on this great bird; here are a few samples:

F8; Shutter 800; ISO 160; 500mm (Sigma)

Night Heronon branch





Night Heronpreening (apparently by nowI had become something to ignore, a non-threat, which was great for the sake of photos). I may have sharpened this just a touch too much but I wanted to get that eye to pop out.



Close-up of eyes (for Vito)



The location showing why I had to slug through the muck to get a photo (I'm only posting this because I don't usually go to such extremes to get a shot)



My birding runners (now in the washing machine)

[photosbyvito]

heyy...thanks for the eye shot! gorgeous eyes on that thing! wow..

lol..you're crazy....slopping through the mud to get these...

Vito

[geoffs]

Oh, gosh, Norm! Do I have to be the one to burst your bubble again?

Well, bitterns and immature night herons do look similar. In fact, what you've photographed so well here is a juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron. Great, really great shots and worth so much more because of the work you had to go to in getting the shots.

Were these with your 1DMkII?

[Normcar]

Thanks geoff, I knew it deep down inside. Correction in photo above is forthcoming

Yep, the Mark II and Sigma 50-500 combo, a great "all round" combo. Hey, the D20 with the Sigma would also be a great "all round" combo. :-)

Actually, I'm more excited about seeing the immature Heron. That is extremely cool indeed. I was rushing around the lake trying to get close to them and they sent their kid my way!

[aladyforty]

I would not have a clue what the heck this bird is, all i know is that it has striking eyes and these are great shots.:-)

[Normcar]

That's enough, thanks alady:-)

[GoCubs]

These are great shots Normcar, but I think you may be right in the sharpining(sp?) I think it might have added to much noise. Were they overall soft? If you just wanted the eye to pop, could you have done it in layers, sharpened it overall on the bottom layer, going to the top layer and erasing the soft eye to reveal the sharp eye then flattened it? Is any of this making sense or am I just babbling?:?
Again, thanks for sharing the great shots.

[aladyforty]

awww sorry, a girls gotta have fun sometimes, I will stop now:-)

[aladyforty]

ooops I think I posted in the wrong room.:roll:

[Normcar]

Naw, girls can have fun here too