Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

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Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

danjacquitaylo
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p.1 #1 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Hello FMers,

I was able to witness and capture the flying and diving for fish from this small, active white heron, the Snowy Egret. I have seen egrets usually feed while standing on shallow water or by an edge of the water but NOT flying and diving for fish in deep water like this. I was more amazed by his/her quick and sudden stop and turn during low level flying to catch a fish.

Now, since I don't know exactly what constitute a "Holy Grail" shot, etc.... I'll just let you FMers decide. Please give me some C&C if you can, especially if you don't think so. Frankly, it isn't about it being the HG or not....but just want to share my experience and maybe have a little fun.

These were taken yesterday at Moss Landing just shortly before sunset. All Exifs are intact. Thank you so very much.

Dan

P.S. Mr. ZOOM and JB, get ready to hand over the official decoder ring

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way of trying to win any award or popular contest w/ this post or any of my posts. Believe me, I am no where as good as most of you who posted here. Good or bad results...HG or not, I hope to get some feedbacks to learn/improve and have a little fun along w/ it.

1. A typical Egret flying

2. This is where the action begins...spotting his fish. From 2-6, they are the actual frame to frame sequence.

3. The dive for the fish.

Edited on Oct 29, 2009 at 11:26 AM · View previous versions

Oct 27, 2009 at 04:30 PM

danjacquitaylo
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p.1 #2 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

4. The catch...

5. - 6. And the fly away with its food.

Oct 27, 2009 at 04:32 PM

danjacquitaylo
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p.1 #3 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

The rest of this set is to show the another missed attempt to come up with a fish. I also want to show the quick and sudden spot and turn of the egret to dive for the fish. I was panning/tracking as I shot and got some clipped wings because of that sudden turn by the egret. All actions here are mostly within less than 1 second from frame to frame. I think the actions speak for themselves.

EDIT: Added 100% crop to show there is an actual small/tiny fish caught in #13. Thanks Socrate for pointing that out.

7 - 9. From 7 to 14, they are the actual frame to frame sequence.

Edited on Oct 27, 2009 at 10:22 PM · View previous versions

Oct 27, 2009 at 04:33 PM

danjacquitaylo
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p.1 #4 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

10 - 12

Oct 27, 2009 at 04:34 PM

danjacquitaylo
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p.1 #5 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

13 - 14.

Added 100% crop for #13 to show there is an actual small/tiny fish caught. Thanks Socrate for pointing that out.

Edited on Oct 27, 2009 at 10:20 PM · View previous versions

Oct 27, 2009 at 04:35 PM

Shasoc
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p.1 #6 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Great captures, Dan. Not sure which one but this series id definitely worth some kind of Holy.

I voted for Holy Grail

Socrate

Oct 27, 2009 at 04:38 PM

BearCreekLar
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p.1 #7 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

I would say you got a "Snowy Egret" Holy grail for sure

Awesome series!! Beautiful! Sensational and Wow!
Larry

Oct 27, 2009 at 04:40 PM

danjacquitaylo
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p.1 #8 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Shasoc wrote:
Great captures, Dan. Not sure which one but this series id definitely worth some kind of Holy.

I voted for Holy Grail

Socrate

Thank you Master S.
Dan

Oct 27, 2009 at 04:44 PM

danjacquitaylo
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p.1 #9 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

BearCreekLar wrote:
I would say you got a "Snowy Egret" Holy grail for sure

Awesome series!! Beautiful! Sensational and Wow!
Larry

Thank you very much Larry. I changed the title to be more specific for "Snowy Egret". Thanks again.
Dan

Oct 27, 2009 at 04:46 PM

Chris16
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p.1 #10 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

What a fabulous serie Dan!

Oct 27, 2009 at 04:47 PM

Rob Tillyer
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p.1 #11 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Nicely done Dan, #4

Rob

Oct 27, 2009 at 04:55 PM

Shasoc
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p.1 #12 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

danjacquitaylo wrote:
The rest of this set is to show the another missed attempt to come up with a fish.

7 - 9.

Dan, if you look closer at # 13 I believe it did catch a little one

Look at the original shot and you can see that better.
Socrate

Oct 27, 2009 at 05:07 PM

Herb Houghton
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p.1 #13 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Hi Dan, great sequence. I consider it a Holy Grail and I voted. I've seen this behavior before from a snowy egret in Pacific coastal Mexico, namely in Ixtapa / Zihuatanejo. The egrets had to fish on the wing as there were crocodiles in the water. There were yellow crowned and snowy egrets fishing nearby the crocs in this fashion. I'll have to dig up some shots from last year.

Herb

Oct 27, 2009 at 05:13 PM

wing tong
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p.1 #14 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Fantastic series, Danno! The focus and whites are spot-on. I would say Holy Grail but then you would have nothing more to live for...so for your sake, I vote for 99.9% HG!

Oct 27, 2009 at 05:13 PM

tfoltz
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p.1 #15 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Great sequence, I love this behavior with the snowies

4 and 6 are my picks.

Tim

Oct 27, 2009 at 05:15 PM

Mr Zoom
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p.1 #16 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Awesome sequence, Dean, but decoder rings are reserved for Osprey Grails only.

Nice try though

Oct 27, 2009 at 05:21 PM

KirkB
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p.1 #17 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Boy that Mr. Z

m guy sure is a stickler for details... gotta be an Osprey, gotta be Canon gear, yada yada yada...

In addition to the Harrier HG club you could start one for Snowy's too Danno.

Excellent sequence here my friend... #4 is awesome and 13-14 are really beautiful.

Nice work buddy... keep trying Danno, you're Holy Grail will come.

Kirk

Edited on Oct 27, 2009 at 05:40 PM · View previous versions

Oct 27, 2009 at 05:25 PM

z06jim
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p.1 #18 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Awesome action series, very well done....

Oct 27, 2009 at 05:29 PM

Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #19 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Real sweet set Dan! I voted for you, I think it qualifies. But if it does so did this that I posted a little while ago. This guy dove out of the air to get the fish. I have also seen greenies doing the same thing.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/826390/

Tim

Edited on Oct 27, 2009 at 05:55 PM · View previous versions

Oct 27, 2009 at 05:34 PM

Conrad Tan
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p.1 #20 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Due to the rarity of this event, I deemed it a holy grail, but really there should have been a "mini" grail category

Danno this was an excellent series, well done and very sharp and I hope to catch something like it someday!

Oct 27, 2009 at 05:45 PM

Martin Good
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p.1 #21 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Hi Dan,
Congrats on this fine set of action images!
I vote for #4 being your HG shot

Martin

Oct 27, 2009 at 05:47 PM

Lil Judd
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p.1 #22 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Dan

you get a

from me for a Holy Grail - -

especially since my flowers have been considered for that honor.

Well done & what an amazing Snowy.....

Well done - Great set.

Lil

P.S. Socrate's right - in # 13 she does have a tiny fish in her beak..... (yes I wrote "she" - none-linear thinking deems a female.

)

Oct 27, 2009 at 06:03 PM

Thang
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p.1 #23 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Recommend you start the "Snowy Grail" club Dan. These are fantastic!!!

Oct 27, 2009 at 09:04 PM

carl haslam
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p.1 #24 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Great set there Dan

its a grail shot for sure

Carl

Oct 27, 2009 at 09:05 PM

danjacquitaylo
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p.1 #25 · Snowy Egret Holy Grail...YOU decide :)

Chris16 wrote:
What a fabulous serie Dan!

Thank you very much.
dan

Oct 27, 2009 at 10:46 PM


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