Up until these shots I was having a good day getting sequences of White Ibis in flight.
These two came past so fast, or I wasn’t looking, that I only captured a single image of both.
The sky was dull and shooting high speed with a long lens means focus issues. I thought I had it all figured out until these guys.
I walked by, he sat and watched me.
My lens was really too big for this close but I didn’t think it was a good idea to swap out while sharing the space with him.
The bird was sitting on a cross beam of a wooden trunk apparently quite comfortable. Any other time I would never get this close, it would be invading his space. I’m pretty sure he invaded my space!
I did get the ‘keep walking along’ look from him though.
Checking around for any fish was the primary focus.
This was the first time being close enough to see the unique pattern around the eyes. Really pretty.
No matter how you work at wildlife photography it always involves a bit of timing and luck. These images a case in point.
Finding a group of Ibis typically means a few moments of fast action, and they’re gone.
However, the Ibis above worked off a different script. They flew off as expected. But it was one bird, at a time, the others just watching.
I was able to use the first bird almost like a test setup.
The others looked to wait their turn.
Because they gave me time, each shot became better than the last.
This never happens. An entire flock of large wading birds almost helping me along.
White Ibis, leaving my spot quickly.
A large group of Ibis were in some scrub trees and let me closer than usual. This was a marshland where few people can go so I’m assuming they saw no threat.
My gear is ‘getting long in the tooth’, a nice way to say wearing out. Taking these I was fighting to get everything right.
This single Ibis left the group giving me a good opportunity to test everything. Apparently it all worked fine.
A fast Ibis exit is not easy to catch and I captured this first flight fairly well.
At the time I was hoping for a better angle on these shots. I was in a boat slowly passing and thought surely there will be a side view.
Never happened.
Instead of getting a side view the Ibis kept turning with boat, watching us.
Not great, but a day out with Glossy Ibis beats being an office worker any time.
We both were in a swampy spot that might have been a little ‘creepier’ than we like.
I came back later, he was still around, and I found a better spot to shoot from.
However, I like they way this image turned out.
I thought she might take off as we went by, her feathers were dry enough.
No waves to bother her, she stayed and watched closely, just in case.
This was an adult female. The neck feathers are light brown.
Watching the bird dive I was in the wrong spot. I didn’t think I would get any better spot either so I pretty watched and enjoyed the scene.
So of course the Osprey turned, dipped, and went right over head. That’s is not a very good angle either but I did catch these.
The tile here comes from my gymnastics (bending over backwards) to get the shots. Never a suggested method to get anything worthwhile.
Up north the Osprey fished in the rivers, and getting a good location was easy once you watched the birds. Not so down here. Wide open marshes allows them to keep away from people and work the open waters.
