Merhlin on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/merhlin/art/Abort-470041370Merhlin

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Abort

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Description

 I'm slowly getting to know the snowy egret because they frequent the small lake I live on. While most comfortable stalking fish along the edge of the lake in the shallows, they are also capable of dropping to the water in the middle of the lake when fish are near the surface. They don't grasp the fish with their feet but attempt to get low enough with their heads to stab at them with their beaks and they can be amazingly successful. Days later (after this photo) I discovered that they were also not afraid to land in the water and float there, sometimes for several seconds. It may be that they dropped into the water after trying to score a fish and that they've worn themselves out a bit and are simply resting. I had no idea  they could float but they can and while it's not something they commonly do it's not rare either.  I think ideally they would prefer to score the fish without going into the water as they appear to try and avoid doing so, often just letting their feet dip below the surface before rebounding back up. In this process they can get into some rather comical body positions. They'll do whatever it takes to get the fish, including losing a bit of dignity. For the most part however, when watching them, it's rather like a ballet of sorts and beautiful to watch. 
Image size
3228x3236px 4.82 MB
Make
Canon
Model
Canon EOS 60D
Shutter Speed
1/1579 second
Aperture
F/5.6
Focal Length
400 mm
ISO Speed
200
Date Taken
Jun 11, 2014, 10:16:09 AM
Lens
EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
Sensor Size
14mm
© 2014 - 2024 Merhlin
Comments5
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SharPhotography's avatar
An exceptional shot and gallery! :clap: