Great Egret – Head Dive
This Great Egret stalked towards me in the dark waters of the Fakahatchee Strand, looking for a meal.
Beginning to pass me by, s/he froze and ever so slowly stretched that neck out…..way out.
Great Egret – “Neck Stretch”
Great Egret – “I See You”
Great Egret – “Strike”
Great Egret – “Dive Retreat”
Great Egret – “Success”
A quick gulp, and then the Great Egret continued its stealth stalking past me without a glance my way.
(photos taken February 2020)
Photos by Donna 
Wonderful shots, Donna. You captured the whole deal with just 4 frames! You’re good, you… 🙂 👍
Thank you, HJ! I couldn’t believe he walked right towards me and froze. I was there for a few minutes, so I lucked out s/he didn’t know I was there behind the thicket and trees. Yay! 😊
Terrific action series Donna! It never ceases to amaze me how intensely focused, infinitely patient, lightning fast, and seemingly always accurate herons and egrets are when stalking prey.
Thank you, Steve! You said it perfectly! 😊
Now that is concentration on both your parts. You even managed to capture the splash. 😁💙
Thank you, Irene! I’m not sure how!! 😉
Crisp and clear, very nice 👏👏👏
Thank you, Ted! 😊
Great series! Reminds me of lunchtime with my three grandkids when the 2 1/2 year old sees one Cheeto remaining on a plate. 🙂
Thank you, David! I’ve also seen this scenario with my three young grandboys with a remaining cookie. 😅
Excellent photos Donna. 🥰☺️
Thank you, John!
Striking (in more ways than one) action shots!!!
Thank you, Carol!
Such super captures!
Thank you, Cindy! Luck was on my side! 😊
Wonderful pictures 😍
Thank you, Seraja!
😍❤️❤️❤️
They are quite the efficient fishermen.
More so than me! 😉
Eh. Me, too. 🙄😊
Loved seeing the drama in this sequence!
Thank you, Liz!
Great shots of a great capture, Donna! well done!
Thank you, Ashley!
Great series! Once I got within 5 ft of a Great Blue Heron as it stood stark still waiting for the unsuspecting meal to pass by, and I must confess I got a little scared looking at that great beak, knowing how deadly it is, and how fast the Heron strikes! I moved to the other side of the path to get a little more distance between us!
Thank you, Deborah! I hear ya, I’ve had the same kind of scenarios over the years, they can be a bit intimidating, esp. when they lock eyes on you, just what they do when they’re going to strike! 🙂
😀
Nice Series Donna! Love the Splash one!
Thank you, Reed!
Awesome photos, it has such a skinny neck. Nice job, I love the sequence.
Thank you, Sandra!
Very interesting shapes in its neck. Like the abstractions in the water in the first couple of images and the big splash!
Thank you, Jane!
Wonderful series of shots. I wonder how long you waited to catch it just right.
Thank you, actually I was pretty lucky, it happened within a few minutes. I had walked up slowly to a favorite ‘window’ area between the trees, and I saw that ‘bright white’ moving through all the leaves and branches. So I just waited and hoped s/he would keep coming on past me. I’m sure I held my breath and then did labor breathing….lol. You know how that is!
Fabulous photos. (I don’t know how you do it!) As for lucking out, I think it was the golfer, Gary Player, who once said “It’s funny, the more I practice, the luckier I get!” 😁
Thank you, Mike! I love that golfer’s quote!! I always say, “practice practice practice” too. Learning to hold my breath helps also! 😅 😂
Fantastic series!
Thank you very much!
Another great action series, Donna! It’s always surprising how quickly they swallow the food once they capture it.
Thank you, Ellen! I agree! S/he pulled back so fast to gulp, I didn’t even follow with my lens, I was hoping it didn’t know I was there. And I don’t think it did. S/he continued on stalking but got out of my ‘little window’ through the trees.
great shots Donna! Right place at the right time. This is the best time to approach…..when the bird is preoccupied with dinner!
Thank you, Wayne! Yepper! 😊
These are fantastic shots, Donna! Such a clear and vivid series of images … I can almost hear that quick splash as he grabs the fish. Love that super long neck stretch!
Thank you, I got really lucky being at the RPRT before the Egret came past, I just had to make sure I was focused and ready….while holding my breath! 🙂
Worked out perfectly!
What a gift you have for being in the right place at the right time and having the talent to make use of the opportunity.
Thank you, Tom! I enjoy the challenge and the thrill of good results. 😊
Nice close ups! From what I’ve read there is one neck vertebrae that is longer than the rest in the necks of herons which allows them to have that curving and rapid stria. You can really see it in your shots here. William — “What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.” Psalms 104 The Message
Thank you, William! I am going to read up on that, how interesting, thank you for mentioning it!
Great series of the egret!
Thank you, Lisa!
Wonderful shots 😍
Thank you very much!