Today we braved the cold temps and a wind that cut through us like ice and walked about the wildlife area. The wind was wicked I mean nasty cold wicked. Did I mention the ice cold wind?
The adventure started out as an opportunity to once again try and get a decent photo of something living. We walked and waited, walked and waited, never did one of the wonderful birds come close enough for me to get a picture where they were more than blurry dots on the water. The trails are nice but the access areas that allow you to get close enough without a good lense are all closed off right now. So, cold and getting miserable I waited with the patience of what can only be described as close to a saint LOL. A nice young couple set up their camera’s next to us and within five mins had some wonderful shots. I guess that is what Canon EOS and Nikon D70’s will do for you when equipted with those long beautiful lenses. The guy asked if I had gotten any good shots. I said no. 🙁
I played with the settings, I used the bracketing mode, I tried everything. The water is lovely dark blue but the sky is dull gray in some shots. In others there is the evil purple haze. Anyway, we came across a large white crane. This crane played us. Slowly approach, set up the tripod, and the crane moves about 10 to 30 feet away. Repeat this process of few times and decide the crane has won. We start walking around and the crane starts following us until we stop and even so much as act like we are going to take a picture, only to half fly half skip behind something.
Eventually the crane flew away and I went back to watching the ducks in hope that one or two of them might swim close enough to become more than a blur on the water.
About an hour later we head back to the parking lot. I get a cup of coffee and start to put everything away. Now I am sure you have figured out that the crane comes walking through the parking lot and stares, I swear it stared, straight at me. The gauntlet was thrown down. I get the camera back of the truck seat and point it at him/her. See ya! I followed it down the walkway and it stopped long enough to get this shot.
I once again bound and determined to not loose this battle waited at the edge of the parking lot and the pathway. Now I did mention how awful cold it was and the wind did I not? I stood there, and stood there and stood there. Now I realize that this is not the greatest picture in the world but I at least caught a bit of his/her tail feathers eh? And that makes me the winner even though the pictures are not very good LOL.
Beautiful shots of one of my favorite birds — a close relative of the crane…Great Egret. (Unless it has yellow feet — I can’t tell. If it’s yellow feet, then it’s a Snowy egret). Love the flight shot especially. 🙂
someday I will get a good shot LOL The bird did not have yellow feet. Legs kind of grey and feet darker almost black. If I go back I am taking my book so I would then know that it was an Egret. Off to look up difference between crane and egret 🙂