The Heron & the Crappie

[Mason]

I was going through my heron pictures from the dam and found a series that I was kind of excited about. I didn’t think I had too many decent shots so I really hadn’t opened all of the pictures. I see some great birds eating fish pictures here, but I have always been a little curious that I see them with fish that I don’t recognize. I like to fish, and I thought I had caught just about everything in these lakes. I was excited to see that this bird has a “crappie”. That’s what we call it here, and we pronounce it with a soft “a”…farther north it gets pronounces with a hard “a”, and it has various other names as well.

These are not the best technically, but I’m just happy to see the fish. Cropped from D200 w/ 300 2.8 AF + 1.4TC. ISO 500 because it was very overcast

Flyin' around looking for some food:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

You have to look close to see the fish still in the water. The extra fps with the D2H would have been handy here…and I had one with me but I was just checking out the D200.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

I had a few shots like there where it was obvious this is a crappie:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Gale]

Good job
Nice images..
Good ol' GBH

 

[Leigh]

Great series, Mason. I think you underestimate your skill. These are really nice shots!

 

[Frits]

Gorgeous series Mason, WOW! Be sure Frank gets to see these, so you can show him how it's done! :biggrin:
I really like the 2nd one, great shot!
It looks like you and the 300 / 2.8 have lots of good times ahead of you.

 

[cknight]

Nice shots Mason.

 

[dmwphoto]

wow sharp action!

 

[TOLady]

Great shots - lunch time! LOL

 

[Mason]

Good job
Nice images..
Good ol' GBH

Thanks Gale!

Great series, Mason. I think you underestimate your skill. These are really nice shots!

Nah, you just let the camera focus and hold the little button down!

Gorgeous series Mason, WOW! Be sure Frank gets to see these, so you can show him how it's done! :biggrin:
I really like the 2nd one, great shot!
It looks like you and the 300 / 2.8 have lots of good times ahead of you.

Ha! Thanks Frits, but I can't show that man how anything is done. If I had just been a little closer...had a few for fps...and had a little bet better light, well you know how that goes! I can't wait to see his. He took pictures while I was busy talking to people.

Nice shots Mason.

Thanks Chris was more luck than anything. I have a card full of really bad shots to prove it.

wow sharp action!

Thank you, Dave.

 

[cknight]

Thanks Chris was more luck than anything. I have a card full of really bad shots to prove it.

I have a hard drive full of bad shots. I'll bet Flew has several HDs full of bad shots. It just goes with the territory.:smile:

 

[jryoung1947]

woo woo Excellent..... that beats grabbing stunned shad. Super series!!!!!

 

[eng45ine]

Enough with the humility, you nailed this series. Just imagine how many more excellant images you would have on your hard drive if you would have bought my lens last November!!!!!!! Better late then never I always say!:wink:

 

[Glacier]

Mason,

These are very good and tell the story from start to finish. I hope to meet up with you in the near future somewhere in north Alabama.

 

[Mason]

Great shots - lunch time! LOL

Yes, it was a good day for the bird and not so good for the fish...

woo woo Excellent..... that beats grabbing stunned shad. Super series!!!!!

I wish I could see fish in the water like that!

Enough with the humility, you nailed this series. Just imagine how many more excellant images you would have on your hard drive if you would have bought my lens last November!!!!!!! Better late then never I always say!:wink:

Thank you Frank. I guess I was pretty critical of myself because I wasn't happy with the sharpness, but I got over it when I considered that: [1] I was shooting the D200 because I needed some cropping room over the D2H, so this is a significant crop [2] I was using a TC (thank you for selling it, sir) [3] ISO was 500. So I cropped a ISO 500 shot with a TC. I’ll take it!!!!

 

[Mason]

Mason,

These are very good and tell the story from start to finish. I hope to meet up with you in the near future somewhere in north Alabama.

Thanks Andy!

Didn’t you post once that you know the Milwee’s? You should catch a ride with them to a football game this season. We have 6 home games and one week I may have some extra seats in the press box. I’m near the RTJ course in Muscle Shoals if you ever get over this way.

 

[ozarkshome]

Mason, Marilyn asked me to tell you she is jealous of your excellent series.

 

[Dave Dickerson]

Great job on these, Mason. Very well done!

 

[Glacier]

Thanks Andy!

Didn’t you post once that you know the Milwee’s? You should catch a ride with them to a football game this season. We have 6 home games and one week I may have some extra seats in the press box. I’m near the RTJ course in Muscle Shoals if you ever get over this way.

Yes, I grew up across the street from Fran's grandparents. I might just make the trip over this year. I'm sure my son and I would enjoy a football game at UNA. If we do I'll be sure to let you know ahead of time. Thanks!

 

[Mason]

Mason, Marilyn asked me to tell you she is jealous of your excellent series.

Thanks Larry! Remind her that their is a fair amount of luck at play here.

Great job on these, Mason. Very well done!

Thank you, sir.

Yes, I grew up across the street from Fran's grandparents. I might just make the trip over this year. I'm sure my son and I would enjoy a football game at UNA. If we do I'll be sure to let you know ahead of time. Thanks!

I'm there every game (although this year I am planning to go to Green Bay for a game, and since we play at night that might be a problem). The pregame atmosphere is great and very family friendly, and the two live lions are cool, too. Like I said, we have six home games but I didn’t mention that one is a Thursday night TV game. I already have the schedule on my calendar:biggrin: Spring game is next weekend.

 

[cajun angel]

WOW, Mason! Nice photos! I just love those GBH"S!

 

[Clix Pix]

Hey, Mason! Way to go! These are wonderful shots! You are doing great with that lens! :smile: