Wildlife Observation, Prediction, and How to Be Ready

I'm hoping this post turns in to just the first in many that offer some insight in to nature and my photography. In the past I've used my flickr stream and the photo descriptions to cover some of the details about how I got a photo or what I saw.

Beginning with this post, I going to move the bulk of my writing here. Part of why I'm doing it is to create a resource for others, and part of it is as a log of my own personal development as a photographer. I'm also hoping to turn some frequent and insightful writing in to some cash via AdSense.

Great Blue Heron on the Lake

Nikon D300, Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 D VR, Gitzo GT2941 tripod.

Recently I went to Centennial Lake in Columbia Maryland to take some photos. I got there an hour or so before sunset. What I initially found were a few ducks and geese, nothing too special or interesting. After about 15 minutes I noticed there was a Great Blue Heron across the lake working the edge of the lake, fishing. He was pretty far away, just a dot practically. I tried to keep an eye on him, and occasionally has to strain to see him as he moved around, he was that far away.

The casual observer might have moved on. There just wasn't much hope for a chance to get anything good. But since I'd been to this lake many times before, I held out hope. I've seen Bald Eagles fishing here, Osprey, Turns, and a variety of other wildlife, so I know there's potential here.

Then I recalled a pattern I'd seen before here. As the sun goes down Herons fishing across the lake wind up in the shade, and the light just drops off. Some times they fly to an area on the other side of the lake (the side I was on) and as they come in the setting sun makes for some great light. I waited almost 30 minutes and shortly after the light would have been perfect, it happened. The heron began to fly my way. I started with a couple photos hand held, and then quickly put the camera on my tripod and took a series of photos as he cruised by and landed a hundred yards to my right. The only way it could have worked out better is if he moved 10 minutes earlier in better light, and if he landed even closer.

So, I turned what could have been a wasted trip to the lake, in to a chance to be patient, predict what could happen due to past visits, and got a photo I like.

A similar photo where previous observations and prediction took place was this bald eagle photo, where I'd learned how a particular spot eagle perch was due to the closeness to an Osprey Nest and the eagle's desire to steal the Osprey's fish...



-Jon
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Wildlife Observation, Prediction, and How to Be Ready