Fog hung over the wetlands at Huntley Meadows Park early Friday morning, making the walk on the boardwalk a little eerie. When a spooked Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) took off right in front of me I was scared almost witless, but had the presence of mind to get this shot.
Here’s a shot that I took shortly after the first one that gives you a sense of what the boardwalk looks like as it makes it way through the wetlands of my favorite marshland park.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Great shot, Mike. Perfection in flight.
Thanks, Dan. The lighting was limited and I was shooting aperture-priority, which meant my shutter speed was lower than necessary to completely stop the action. Still, I was happy to be able to capture the wings fully extended and the blur of the wings for me enhances the feel of the image.
Awesome shot. My first encounter ever of a blue heron was very similar to your encounter here except it was sunrise on a small finger pier as I was writing and photographing the morning dawn. They are an incredible presence. Thanks for sharing.
There is something special about seeing the start of the day. Unlike many of my friends, I like to get up early and enjoy the stillness of the early morning.
Heron today, gone tomorrow. 😉
Your first shot is wonderful, Mike. You caught the ghostly ambiance of the morning fog beautifully. I too really love the magic of a foggy morning.
Great place to be. Love the boardwalk, reminding me of a section of the Appalachian Trail up in Sussex County, NJ. M 🙂