GB Heron with Snake

Gallery: AvianPosted March 19, 2012344 views15 comments

Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias

Brown Water Snake
Nerodia taxispilota

While set up on Marbled Godwits at Ding Darling, this Great Blue Heron flew past me with a snake in its bill. It landed on a sand bar just to the right of me. I quickly grabbed my camera and set up up on the heron. It took him quite a while to get the snake down. I was able to capture about 50 images of it before it swallowed the snake. Part 2 will be my next post.

Please view the larger post for detail.

Canon 1D Mk IV, 500mm f4L IS, 1.4 tc
ISO 200, 1/500, f8, exp comp -1/3

All comments and critique very appreciated.
Thank You.

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on March 19, 2012 at 7:32 PM

This is great action Matt. Love the open mouth on the snake. The only thing I might change would be less sandbar and more nice green BG. Super shot.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Pete D on March 19, 2012 at 7:34 PM

What a cool photograph. I feel sort of sorry for the snake, but I like the way its curves sort of reverse echo the shape of the heron. The aggressive (but futile) expression of the snake is also great.

Pete D.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 590 Posts, 1794 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on March 19, 2012 at 7:45 PM

I'm with Ron 100% on this.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by dan elster on March 19, 2012 at 7:46 PM

Congrats on this one Matt! The open mouth of the snake is very cool. If anything, cropping it a little bit tighter might result in more detail in the snake.

Registered on September 23, 2005, 299 Posts, 2443 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on March 19, 2012 at 8:08 PM

Terrific action Matt, great that this landed right at your feet, as it were. I think, as both Ron and Rich mentioned, a little from the bottom would elevate an excellent image into an outstanding one. Looking forward to the rest of this "series".

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on March 19, 2012 at 8:23 PM

This is awesome Matt!
You make me sick....Sick with envy that is

Outstanding job on this one, wish it was mine!

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by wade pettitt on March 19, 2012 at 8:26 PM

Love the open mouth of the snake. I to would like to see less foreground and a little more up top, but a great image all the way around as posted.

Registered on May 6, 2009, 184 Posts, 471 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on March 19, 2012 at 9:50 PM

Wonderfully clear and detailed, wonderful light, wonderful action.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on March 19, 2012 at 10:31 PM

THAT is awesome! really a fantastic shot, Matt! the curves in both bird and snake are great, and the open mouth on the snake is so cool. great light, and I love the greens in the water too. I like the suggestion to remove some of the sandbar (maybe half of what is present at the right hand edge), but a small suggestion on a really great shot.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on March 19, 2012 at 11:28 PM

Great Great Blue Heron photo!!

The snake makes this image really stand out, I also wish it were mine. Will look forward to the next post! Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on March 20, 2012 at 10:10 AM

Great capture. Appears to be Diamondback water snake.

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Roman Kurywczak on March 20, 2012 at 11:28 AM

Great action and very nice BG. Light looks good too! Snake puts it over the top for sure!

Registered on November 20, 2009, 56 Posts, 748 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on March 20, 2012 at 9:36 PM

Fantastic image, Matt. The open mouth on the snake has great detail and the bird appears to be displaying it's catch. The lovely greens in the background set off the heron well. Nice light. Can't wait to see some more from this. I'd crop a bit from the bottom and put more to the top if you've got it.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on March 21, 2012 at 11:34 AM

Wonderful timing to get this and good reaction to turn and get the heron action. I like the contrast between heron and background plus the open mouth of the snake really adds to the image, excellent shot Matt, way to go.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on March 21, 2012 at 9:00 PM

Outstanding, great open mouth on the snake.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments