Yesterday the tide was the highest in the San Francisco Bay for 2005. When it is that high, it floods areas that are pretty dry all year long with a lot of mice in it. So the mice have to come out of their safe holes or else they drown. Egrets and herons take advantage of the situation and have a feast. This area is next to the road ( at Baylands), so it was easy to get close. Yesterday and today I went there, coming back with the following shots:
I hope you enjoy this series and comments are very welcome.
#1: (Yesterday)

#2: Today we had a lot wind. This fellow has to lean into wind (gusts up to 25 mph):

#3: The wind made it easier to do flight-shots when the birds were kind enough to fly into the wind.

#4:

Steve,
Excellent shots. They are nicely exposed, have great detail, and
capture wonderful action.
Les

Excellent Steve , you are the Bird Man of the Bay.

Awesome! Great work...

Terrific images Steve. Love the mouse trap.

Fred...

Wow, those are fantastic images. The second pic is one of the nicest heron pictures I've ever seen. There is something about it that I really love.

Wonderful Shots steve. I liked the number 2 better. Curves accentuated.

Did you use 300mm lens for these shots.

-Avaneendra

Holy cow! That's very very nice!

I would love to print this one big and put it in my cube

Steve there is not much you can say but wow, awsome shots. I like no 2 as well but three is right there with the rest.

You have to tell us your secret. I have been practicing on gulls. I figure if I can get good shoets of gulls the big guys will be easier. I still have not gotten the tech, down yet.

Steve there is not much you can say but wow, awsome shots. I like no 2 as well but three is right there with the rest.

You have to tell us your secret. I have been practicing on gulls. I figure if I can get good shoets of gulls the big guys will be easier. I still have not gotten the tech, down yet.

Outstanding work Steve, that second one is amoung the best gbh shots I've ever seen.

Great Job, I really like number 2 as well very cool!

Well crap Steve, you just keep outdoing yourself. Great series. I really like #2 - it's hard to get a shot of a great blue that hasn't been done already but that one is unique. Well done.

unreal work Steve , some of the best ever ! the last with the water reflecting on the underside of the wings is TOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOD

J

uz2work wrote:
Steve,
Excellent shots. They are nicely exposed, have great detail, and
capture wonderful action.
Les

Hi Les,
I was very fortunate that the weather cooperated after several weeks of rain. Most of the time the lighting was ideal with some dark clouds now and then.
Nice to show each other what the particular geographic region has to offer.

Best regards,

Steve

Simply outstanding Steve. Some of the best I have ever seen. wonderful work.

Tom Hicks wrote:
Excellent Steve , you are the Bird Man of the Bay.

Hi Tom, it almost sounds like " the bird man of Alcatraz". Hey, today we have wall to wall blue sky, the first time in several weeks of rain.
Thanks for looking and your kind reply,

Steve

TX300D wrote:
Awesome! Great work...

Hi Kyle,
Every once in while everything comes together, defeating Murphy's.

Thank you for commenting and for the compliments,

Steve

Fred_S wrote:
Terrific images Steve. Love the mouse trap.

Fred...

It sure is a beautiful mousetrap, I never thought of it that way.

Thanks for your very nice compliment. I am glad you enjoyed them,

Steve

avaneendra wrote:
Wonderful Shots steve. I liked the number 2 better. Curves accentuated.

Did you use 300mm lens for these shots.

-Avaneendra

Avaneendra,
nice to hear from you. I used my new 400mm f/4 DO, most of them with the 1.4 TC. This reminds me, I should add it to my profile.
The tide will be still pretty high the next couple of days, so if you can get away it still should be good and there might be a chance to see some clapper rails.

Best regards,

Steve

fivecat wrote:
Wow, those are fantastic images. The second pic is one of the nicest heron pictures I've ever seen. There is something about it that I really love.

Tammy,
Appreciate your compliment very much. I am glad you enjoyed the series. It probably is the wind that made the difference in #2. It was cold at the time but it was worth it.
Best regards,

Steve

Steve :

wonderful shots.

What time did you go there? I may go there as well tomorrow morning on my way to my office.