Same old, same old...

[PJohnP]

You can't step into the same river twice...

You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube...

You can never go home again...​

And all those kinds of aphorisms for not being able to repeat great experiences came to mind tonight as I stopped by an old haunt at sunset to take some photos. When I shot at Centennial Park in Odessa last month, I captured lightning in a bottle with a sunset backlit juvenile black crowned night heron (BCNH). But I wouldn't have such an experience again, of course. Rivers, toothpaste, home and all of that...

Much to my astonishment and delight, as I approached the small lake in the park, an adult BCNH swung into view, chasing away an imprudent juvenile BCNH, and I snapped off a few rounds on my camera.

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Not such a bad reception for just another sunset at the park, eh ?

But then, I looked over to another side of the park where I'd had such success weeks ago, and saw, not one, but two herons of different types.

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After a few split seconds, the great blue heron tired of my sport, quickly flying away, but he left behind a young cousin for me to shoot with a hot backlight.

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And then, as the light waned at the horizon, I spotted the first black crowned night heron that I had seen, now by the shore, limned by a more delicate colour to the west.

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D200, 200-400mm AFS/VR f/4, processed in NC, cropping, resize, and copyright in PS-CS2

I walked away, to find the GBH gorging down an enormous fish at the south end of the lake. But those are photos for another time...

All in all, a wonderful time to be out and about this evening.




And as for aphorisms, well, only one comes to my mind right now.

Always shoot.




John P.

 

[andreasb]

Pictures of the year candidates. amazing color and great, great flight shots!!!

 

[Capture Utah]

All very beautiful shots! I never understood the fascination some had with capturing birds - a seeming obsession - but from photos like these I have developed a new interest and respect for those that do such a superb job as you have done here.

 

[Allan]

GReat shots. I like 4 the best - for the lighting a the reflection.

 

[DavidChin]

Excellent series! My fave is #2.

 

[Anthony747]

Great shots John! Wonderful colors.

Anthony

 

[Flew]

John,

These may be the same ol', but they sure as heck ain't the same ol'. Wonderful set of images. :smile:

 

[StL_Don]

Great looking series John - hard to pick a favorite from the bunch but I'll go with the boid on the rock in the water.

Don

 

[GonzoBernelli]

They said it all, John.

WTH... EXCELLENT captures! #4 for me as well

Has anything arrived at your office yet?

 

[Colby]

It just doesn't get any better than a day like yours and and a set like this.

 

[PJohnP]

They said it all, John.

WTH... EXCELLENT captures! #4 for me as well

Has anything arrived at your office yet?

Nick :

Thanks. I'm not around my office this week, but I'll see it tomorrow.


John P.

 

[PJohnP]

Pictures of the year candidates. amazing color and great, great flight shots!!!

Andréas :

Thanks. Interestingly enough, I haven't had any decent BCNH flight shots before this set.



John P.

 

[PJohnP]

All very beautiful shots! I never understood the fascination some had with capturing birds - a seeming obsession - but from photos like these I have developed a new interest and respect for those that do such a superb job as you have done here.

Steve :

Birding photograph's a niche in the field, but it's a fun one. One of these days, I want to learn to be a passable portrait photographer, though. :biggrin:



John P.

 

[PJohnP]

GReat shots. I like 4 the best - for the lighting a the reflection.

Excellent series! My fave is #2.

Great shots John! Wonderful colors.

Great looking series John - hard to pick a favorite from the bunch but I'll go with the boid on the rock in the water.

It just doesn't get any better than a day like yours and and a set like this.

Folks :

Thanks for all of the kind thoughts.

This location is a perfect example of how almost any place a person goes to can have fun areas and moments to photograph. Odessa, after all, is in the Permian Basis in west Texas, an area hardly known for waterfowl and bird photography. And yet, I've had some of my best times shooting herons and other such critters here.

There actually is a reason for my tagline on my photography threads... :wink:



John P.

 

[PJohnP]

These may be the same ol', but they sure as heck ain't the same ol'. Wonderful set of images. :smile:

Frank :

Well, I couldn't find an eagle last night, so I "made do". :wink: Thanks for the kind thoughts.

Would have been fun to have some of the Café folks there, but, y'know, it's a pretty small little lake (more a big pond), and we'd have surrounded the entire thing after a little while... :biggrin:



John P.

 

[HarryB]

Marvelous set with great use of light

 

[BirdLady]

Excellent set, John! I love them all.

 

[TOLady]

Those are superb shots, John!!! Too bad he didn't brush his hair in the second shot! *LOL*

I love the reflection in the water of the juvie BCNH in #4 - the red of his eyeball is even reflected in the water too!

What a successful shoot this was..... I'm happy for you. Being on the road is no fun, but this sure makes it so!

 

[Jose Suro]

Superb color and excellent images. Love them all!

Jose

 

[davidwcramer]

Great series. That second shot is unique! I still can't believe these are in arid West Texas.