Nest Battle

Gallery: AvianPosted March 1, 20163,100 views18 comments

Haven't posted for awhile, so I am behind. With the nice weather we have been having, the Great Blue Herons are just starting to arrive. Since all have not paired up yet they have been chasing one another off nests trying to get their choice pick (the top nest) causing a few interactions.

1DX, 500mm f/4, 1/3200 at f/9, ISO 1600

Comments

18 comments

Comment posted by Jim Gavin on March 2, 2016 at 12:34 AM

Exceptionally fine image. To me everything is right on.

Registered on August 14, 2008, 293 Posts, 1250 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on March 2, 2016 at 8:51 AM

Great action, Kurt with excellent dof and detail throughout. It's amazing to get such an unobstructed view of this action and you managed to get them in profile to boot. Well done.

devil

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Jerry Marella on March 2, 2016 at 9:34 AM

Beauty, Kurt. Love the blue sky and the action. Excellent shot!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 142 Posts, 862 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Sandor on March 2, 2016 at 9:54 AM

Kurt: well done. The pose, techs and composition are spot on. Richard

Registered on January 12, 2014, 453 Posts, 1625 Comments

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on March 2, 2016 at 10:02 AM

I really like your GBH posts. They are so action filled with unobstructed views. My go to place for herons and Egrets is the rookery on the campus of the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center in downtown Dallas. It is difficult to get unobstructed views there, especially when the foliage fills in. Both your herons are in focus. I noticed your aperture of f9 with an ISO of 1600. That allowed for a very high shutter speed to freeze the action and provide enough depth of field. The Canon 1DX is great at these high ISO's. I have a 7D Mark II, which is fairly good at high ISO's, certainly better than the original 7D. However, it is not near the high ISO performer the 1DX is. So, I struggle with the whole shutter speed/aperture/ISO combinations. In order to get 1/3200 s at the aperture you selected, I would have had to bump the ISO on my 7D II to unacceptable levels. I guess I just need to buy a 1DX. (smile)

Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on March 2, 2016 at 10:28 AM

A fine behavioral shot, Kurt. The open bill on the one perched and the position of the legs of the other are a real bonus.

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on March 2, 2016 at 10:32 AM

Kurt:

Very nice image. Great story telling in one frame. Techs are right on the money as usual. Thanks for posting this one!!

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Allen Brooks on March 2, 2016 at 1:13 PM

Great action shot. Exceptionally fine detail, especially as they were in motion.

Registered on July 27, 2011, 262 Posts, 2597 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on March 2, 2016 at 1:37 PM

Capturing the moment and the story—great. The best kind of nature photography. A fine picture, Kurt! devil

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by William Bickle on March 2, 2016 at 1:59 PM

Hello Kurt... Great to see & I am sure Great to capture TOO!

Handled the Sky... Great!

Bill
WWW.BillBickle.com

Registered on June 13, 2011, 183 Posts, 1702 Comments

Comment posted by S Govindarajan on March 2, 2016 at 6:14 PM

Splendid dynamic image, Kurt. Great look at the interaction between the two herons. The minimalistic habitat and clear skies add a great deal. Good choice of dof too with all elements sharp.

Registered on April 19, 2008, 115 Posts, 1921 Comments

Comment posted by John Launstein on March 2, 2016 at 8:02 PM

Exceptional, Kurt! Everything here is pretty much perfect. Way cool how the right branches mimic the incoming heron's legs and feet, too. Just an extraordinary image.

Registered on April 5, 2011, 223 Posts, 1193 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on March 2, 2016 at 10:08 PM

Sweet action and lighting on this nest battle Kurt, a beauty devil

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Pete Bengeyfield on March 2, 2016 at 11:29 PM

Very well done. Excellent behavior.

Registered on December 2, 2003, 1247 Posts, 3439 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Thompson on March 3, 2016 at 5:26 PM

Fantastic capture Kurt, the action is perfect. The details, colors and everything are right on. Outstanding! devil

Registered on August 7, 2014, 125 Posts, 2319 Comments

Comment posted by Elizabeth Holbrook on March 13, 2016 at 3:12 PM

Nice detail in both birds. I like the chest features on the lower heron. This is a great action shot. Congratulations as a weekly pick.

Registered on May 6, 2015, 43 Posts, 221 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Ramy on April 18, 2016 at 9:41 AM

Hey Kurt,
Congratulations on pick of the month for this fine image, not an easy task to be in a perfect position as you were for this kind of action.
Well done . . . devil

Registered on June 16, 2012, 567 Posts, 2809 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on April 24, 2016 at 12:05 PM

Congrats Kurt, well deserved ! Cheers, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments