Pair of juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons at Bear River – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I couldn’t bring myself to go to Antelope Island to see the destruction that the fire caused yet so I spent yesterday morning at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and pretty much had it to myself.
On the way there though I had another rock thrown into the windshield of my Jeep so I am at home this morning waiting for it to be repaired. It happened in the same section of I-15 that is under construction where my Jeep got hit by a rock in mid May. If there were only another way to get past that construction!
Watchful Black-crowned Night Heron juvenile – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 400, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I saw plenty of birds yesterday including juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons at Bear River MBR every where I looked. Most of the night herons flew off well before I could get close enough to take pictures but there were two that seemed to ignore me, my Jeep and the big lens hanging out the window.
The heron above wasn’t nervous about me when I photographed it, it was being watchful of a male Northern Harrier that flew very close to it and the other juvenile night heron nearby.
I am not sure I care for the background in these images because it does look a bit messy but this is where the herons live and I don’t take them being out in the open for granted.
Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron Lifting Off – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I saw at least 100 juvenile and adult Black-crowned Night Herons on my trip around the auto tour loop and I hope that means they had a great breeding season this year.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Black-crowned Night Heron photos plus facts and information about this species.
PS – One of the things I love about your pictures is the background. You show us these marvelous winged things in their natural setting. The images of the birds stand out, yet the habitat is there. Thanks for what you do.
Oh they are so sweet and young. The wing-spread photo, the dancing baby – so wonderfull.
Sigh on the windscreen front. Past experience suggests that you will be picking pieces of glass up for some time to come.
Love the herons. And their messy homes. Anyone foolish enough to try and photograph me in my natural environment would have a great deal more clutter to ignore.
Revisting your blog…bird in last frame looks so much like a world-class figure skater nailing a landing….
Beautiful light Mia!
I love the background in these shots. I feel like I am sitting on the very next stump with them. What beautiful birds they are, green legs….orange eyes. Wow!!!
Beautiful photos :-). I love the orange of their eyes. I like the background – I’ve never been there so it is interesting to see what the herons’ environment is like. But I do understand the aesthetic appeal of a less busy background. Thanks for sharing!
Rocks through your windshield–TWICE!!! That’s terrible! I hope you didn’t get hurt by any flying glass! I know they havecshatterproof glass but don’t know how egfective it is. I love these images–the “bookends” in the first and the “ballerinas” in the second and third…
Beautiful imGes, Mia.
OOOH – never seen one of these – – – SP-O-O-O-O-OKY, at least at first glance, what with the orange eyes and all! You can always tell a city girl! Anyone else get goose bumps??
I love the green legs on the juveniles. Great shots.
A breeding bird at our little Sippewissett Marsh! Always good to look carefully at juvenile plumages. Thanks for these lovely images.