Out for a walk at Veterans Oasis Park, I spotted American coots in the fishing lake and didn’t even break what passes for my stride. Then I saw a swimming bird about the same size, but with a red face shield and of their own accord my feet diverted me off the paved path to the gravel-strewn lakeshore.
I figures it was the common moorhen/gallinule, and thought I might get a picture at a decent range. Of course, as I slowly approached the shoreline, the gallinule calmly receded from it: a zero-sum game, at best.
But as I turned to head back to the path, something else caught my eye. Ah ha: another photo for my “serendipity” collection.
Not being a downstream part of their food chain, I love herons of all sorts, and these small green herons are a favourite. As I look back through my photos from Phoenix over the years, I note that I have quite a few of frozen-in-place green herons. At least there’s usually no problem getting a sharp picture: They don’t flit around. This stock-still pose is their standard, giving me lots of time to frame and focus.
My next target, though, will be to catch one of these beauties in flight. Sharply.
As you say, there’s always some to photograph Isabel. Good luck on get a sharp shot of the green heron in flight ☺. I think I have only seen 1 or 2 flying. I find them when they are fishing and frozen in staring….
Jim – They’re very fast (and streamlined) in the air. My best bet (not a good one, but the best) I think would be to catch one just launching. But I’m not that fast a responder.