LITTLE EGRET Hunting for its breakfast. Canon R5.
#birds #ukwildlife #nature #wildlifephotography #wildlife #photography #naturephotography #ukbirds #egrets #birdwatching #birdshunting

A Green Heron prepares for the final swallow of its dragonfly breakfast in the marshes of Lake Betz in Morrisville, North Carolina. Horizontal image: Amidst a mat of green swamp plants with yellow flowers, the green heron opens its beak wide to finish swallowing a dragonfly. The doomed insect's wings are visible, poking out over the bird's lower beak, near the throat. The Heron is oriented right-to-left across the image, and in almost profile to the camera. It is in the midst of a thick mat of swamp plants with yellow flowers. It has a large dragonfly in its beak, whose wings are splayed vertically above and below the beak. This is a tight shot, with only about half the heron visible in the frame. The head feathers are black with white around the yellow eye, and red at the throat and chest, except for a white path running down the very center of the neck and to the chest. The wings are black with bluish hints. The heron's nictitating membrane is visible, covering about a third of the its eye.

Bye, Bye, Dragonfly

A Green Heron prepares for the final swallow of its dragonfly breakfast in the marshes of Lake Betz in Morrisville, North Carolina.

#GreenHeron #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Heron #WadingBirds #photography

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron with freshly caught crayfish. Shot at the Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham, North Carolina. The bird's body is gray, and the head, from throat to top is striped: black, white, black (surrounds the eye), and faintly yellow-white. The eye is orange. The heron is facing right to left across the horizontal frame. The heron's beak has the crayfish by its upper thorax and head.

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron with freshly caught crayfish. Shot at the Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham, North Carolina.

#YellowCrownedNightHeron #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Heron #WadingBirds #photography #Crayfish

A Green Heron adds a dragonfly to its breakfast menu in one of the marsh ponds just after sunrise at Lake Betz in Morrisville, NC. Horizontal image. The Heron is oriented right-to-left across the image, and in almost profile to the camera. It is in the midst of a thick mat of swamp plants with yellow flowers. It has a large dragonfly in its beak, whose wings are splayed vertically above and below the beak. The head feathers are blue with white around the yellow eye, and red at the throat and chest, except for a white path running down the very center of the neck and to the chest.The wings dark bluish.

A Green Heron adds a dragonfly to its breakfast menu in one of the marsh ponds just after sunrise at Lake Betz in Morrisville, North Carolina.

#GreenHeron #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Heron #WadingBirds #photography

A Green Heron and its reflection stalk prey along a log in one of the marsh ponds just after sunrise at Lake Betz in Morrisville, North Carolina. Horizontal image: the heron is moving left-to-right across the image, body low to the log to reduce its profile. It's in profile to the camera, and the back (left) leg is slowly coming down on the log as the bird completes a slow forward stalking step. The bird's reflection in the algae and plant riddled pond surface mirror the its actions. The head feathers are blue with whit around the yellow eye, and red at the throat and chest, except for a white path running down the very center of the neck and to the chest.The wings dark bluish. The heron has a little bit of marsh plant on its beak, left over from a previous snatch for food.

Mirror Stalking

A Green Heron and its reflection stalk prey along a log in one of the marsh ponds just after sunrise at Lake Betz in Morrisville, NC.

#GreenHeron #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Heron #WadingBirds #photography

A Green Heron stabs the water in search of breakfast at Lake Betz in Morrisville, North Carolina. This strike missed, but the follow up did not. Square image: the green heron is atop a log at the edge of the marsh pond. Marsh plants form the background. The heron is striking down into the water, droplets flying, most of its beak submerged, next mostly outstretched. It has its wings opened some and lifted to maintain balance. The head feathers are blue with whit around the yellow eye, and red at the throat, except for a white path running down the very center of the neck.The bird is not quite profile to the camera, facing left to right across the frame. Another log extends about a third of the way into the frame from the left side of the image in the foreground. The scene is lit by the warm light of sunrise.

A Green Heron stabs the water in search of breakfast at Lake Betz in Morrisville, North Carolina. This strike missed, but the follow up did not.

#GreenHeron #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Heron #WadingBirds #photography

Common Grackle eating a dragonfly in the reeds of the swamp at Sandy Creek Environmental Park in Durham, North Carolina. Horizontal image: The grackle is in profile, right-to-left across the image. Its beak is wide open as chomps down and repositions the dragonfly it just caught for swallowing. The bird is perched on a small, moss-covered branch that barely peeks out over the sea of swamp reeds. The grackle has brown feathers, with hits of iridescent blue on its head, and its eye is yellow.

Common Grackle eating a dragonfly in the reeds of the swamp at Sandy Creek Environmental Park in Durham, North Carolina.

#Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #Songbird #BirdsHunting #photography #CommonGrackle

A Common Grackle scans the swamp reeds for its next meal at Sandy Creek Environmental Park in Durham, North Carolina. Vertical image: The grackle is atop a jagged tree stump that juts out of the swamp. The bird is black, but the head is a brilliant iridescent blue, and there wings and upper half of the body are flecked with patches of iridescent green and blue. Its eyes are yellow. The grackle is facing right-to-left in the scene but its head and neck are twisted back and down as it peers into the reeds below, looking for insects.

A Common Grackle scans the swamp reeds for its next meal at Sandy Creek Environmental Park in Durham, North Carolina.

#Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #Songbird #BirdsHunting #photography #CommonGrackle

Caught this bird hunting down dragonflies in the reeds of the swamp at Sandy Creek Environmental Park in Durham, North Carolina. The grackle is in amidst a sea of green reeds. Its iridescent blue head is mostly visible over the greenery. It's chomping down on a dragonfly with its beak.

Caught this Common Grackle hunting down dragonflies in the reeds of the swamp at Sandy Creek Environmental Park in Durham, North Carolina.

#Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #Songbird #BirdsHunting #photography #CommonGrackle

A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron appears surprised to have nabbed such a large crayfish in the swamp in the Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham North Carolina. Horizontal frame, heron is facing left-to-right across the frame. with most of its body hidden but he swamp reeds, and its neck and head, with large crayfish clutch in it beak, sticking straight up and out of the reeds, turned back about a quarter turn towards the camera. Its body is gray, and the head, from throat to top is striped: black, white, black (surrounds the eye), and faintly yellow-white. The eye is orange. The heron has the crayfish, which is almost as big as the bird's head, grabbed by the tail where the tail meets the thorax.. Water drops are flying off the crayfish.

A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron appears surprised with the size of its catch. Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham, North Carolina.

#YellowCrownedNightHeron #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Heron #WadingBirds #photography #Crayfish

A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron violently shakes a crayfish to subdue it in the swamp in the Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham North Carolina. The heron is small, and crouched down admidst a thick bed of water reeds. Horizontal frame, heron is facing the camera head-on. The heron is clutching the red crayfish in it beak as it snaps its head back-and-forth, twisting from side to side, sending a spray of water drops in all directions. There hero's body is gray, and the head, from throat to top is striped: black, white, black (surrounds the eye), and yellow and white. The eye is orange, but the nictating membrane has covered it to protect it so the eye looks cloudy. The crayfish flails it claws helplessly.

A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron violently shakes a crayfish to subdue it . Shot at Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham North Carolina.

#YellowCrownedNightHeron #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Heron #photography #Crayfish

A yellow-crowned night heron slowly stalks prey through the swamp in the Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham North Carolina. It is walking through a thick bed of water reeds. One foot is raised above the reeds as it carefully and deliberately moves to minimize disturbing its prey. Vertical frame, heron is facing right-to-left across the frame. Its body is gray, and the head, from throat to top is striped: black, white, black (surrounds the eye), and white. The eye is orange. There are flowering yellow flag irises in the background that are much taller than the heron.

A yellow-crowned night heron slowly stalks prey through the swamp in the Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham North Carolina.

#YellowCrownedNightHeron #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Heron #WadingBirds #photography

A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron tosses a crayfish to both subdue and reposition it for swallowing in the swamp in the Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham North Carolina. The heron is small, and crouched down admidst a thick bed of water reeds. Horizontal frame, heron is facing left-to-right across the frame. Its body is gray, and the head, from throat to top is striped: black, white, black (surrounds the eye), and white. The eye is orange. The crayfish is in midair inside the birds open beak, claws outstretched, and 3/4 of the way to being upside down. Water drops are flying off the heron's lower beak.

A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron tosses a crayfish to subdue/reposition it for swallowing in the Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham, North Carolina.

#YellowCrownedNightHeron #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Heron #photography

A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron poses for the camera while another hunts in the swamp in the Sandy Creek Environmental Park, in Durham North Carolina.Vertical image: the heron is standing knee deep in a plant-choked section of swamp. The heron is facing right-to-left across the frame. Its body is gray, and the head, from throat to top is striped: black, white, black (surrounds the eye), and white. The eye is orange. The head is turned slightly to its left, placing it in profile to the camera. A fallen tree leads from from the center left side of the frame down to the foreground heron. Above the fallen tree in the image, in the upper left quadrant of the image, well behind the subject bird, you can see the blurry form of another heron of the same species hunting in the mat of reeds.

A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron poses for the camera while another hunts in the swamp in the Sandy Creek Environmental Park, in Durham, North Carolina .

#YellowCrownedNightHeron #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Heron #photography

A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron with the crayfish it just yanked out of the reeds of the swamp in the Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham, North Carolina . The heron is small, and crouched down admidst a thick bed of water reeds. Horizontal frame, heron is facing right-to-left across the frame. It body is gray, and the head, from throat to top is striped: black, white, black (surrounds the eye), and white. The eye is orange. The crayfish is held in the bird's beak.

A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron with the crayfish it just yanked out of the reeds of the swamp in the Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham, North Carolina .

#YellowCrownedNightHeron #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Heron #photography

A Great Blue Heron swallowing a big breakfast. Breakfast is still arguing the point. Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham, North Carolina. Breakfast is a large sunfish, maybe a bluegill . The heron is in the midst of a a bed of swamp plants. There is open water in the background, and then more swamp plants. The frame is vertical, and the bird is positioned right (tail) to left (head) in the frame. The fish is thrashing in its bill and flinging water droplet around. Breakfast is about halfway down into the bird's mouth and throat. The heron's tongue is sticking out.

A Great Blue Heron swallowing a big breakfast. Breakfast is still arguing the point. Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham, North Carolina.

#GreatBlueHeron #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Heron #WadingBirds #photography

A Great Blue Heron starts walking its breakfast catch - a large sunfish, maybe a bluegill - to a quiet spot in the swamp to swallow. The heron is in the midst of a a b ed of swamp plants. The frame is horizontal, and the bird is positioned left (tail) to right (head) in the frame. The fish is thrashing in its bill and dripping water. The bird's right leg is lifted, as it is a quart of the way through turning around to walk further away from the edge of the plant bed. It took a bit, but it did get the fish down. Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham NC.

BFF Breakfast (Big Fat Fish)

A Great Blue Heron starts walking its breakfast catch to a quiet spot in the swamp to swallow. Sandy Creek Environmental Park, Durham NC.

#GreatBlueHeron #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #photography

Male House Finch pauses during his morning hunt for food to give me some attitude. Shot at Bond Park, Cary, NC. The finch has a mostly red face and breast, which transitions to white and brown strips as you move down the bird from head to tail. It's on a branch, looking down at the camera - both eyes are visible.

What You Looking At, Human?

Male House Finch pauses during his morning hunt for food to give me some attitude. Shot at Bond Park, Cary, NC.

#HouseFinch #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Finch #Songbird

A Dark Eyed Junco (I'm mostly sure) prepares to snatch an insect off the sandy shore of Bond Park in Cary, North Carolina. The mostly gray junco is on the ground, body titled downward, tail up. The breakfast munchie - a winged insect - is visible right in front of its beak. There are pine needles on the sand, that are about as long as the junco is (it's a small bird).

Hello, Breakfast!

A Dark Eyed Junco (I'm mostly sure) prepares to snatch an insect off the sandy shore of Bond Park in Cary, NC. The insect is right in front of its beak.

#DarkEyedJunco #Birds #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofNorthCarolina #naturePhotography #BirdsHunting #Sparrow