Waders

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Dominick Lofino Park, Beavercreek, Ohio © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Dominick Lofino Park, Beavercreek, Ohio "A stilted heron labored up into the air and pounded down the river." - John Steinbeck The slate grey and blue of this wader contrasted well against the vibrant green foliage. My goal was to create a simple bird portrait while displaying its environment at the same time. This heron was fishing and having some minor luck at best. Capturing other shots of the action, this one was more laid back. A slight reflection casted down in the water below. I started out my encounter pretty far away after spotting the wading bird from a distance. I would take a shot or two, then crawl forward. Herons are smart birds and can be easily spooked, however this one seemed very focused on finding dinner for the night instead. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Dominick Lofino Park, Beavercreek, Ohio "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike." - John Muir The art of the hunt is very quaint for these waterbirds. Shots like this are a byproduct and reward from patience. I watched this heron take the lunge multiple times before ever taking a photo. When I did, I timed it a split second before the heron lunged forward face-first into the pond water to catch a fish. Their necks extend impressively and their heads dive straight in the water. Their wings as seen here are slightly raised as if to stabilize themselves. I've seen them stumble about if they miss the catch. Unfortunately in this case the heron missed and ended up with nothing. Despite how common it is to find Great Blue Herons, I never tire of seeing them. I always get to learn something new and interesting with each encounter. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Caesar Creek State Park, Waynesville, Ohio This heron image was from a downpour of a rainy day, I laying flat out in the open along the lake edge at Caesar Creek. While I had landscapes in mind as I hiked the perimeter loop trail, this single heron was the most patient I've ever seen them. I took notice and crept closer on the hard edge stones. Still a fair distance away, I nabbed these amazing perspectives of the heron sitting in the pouring rain. The drizzle can be seen in the background of the image. By the time I got up almost an hour later, my entire front side of the my clothes was drenched in mud and more. The results above show it was worth it. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Caesar Creek State Park, Waynesville, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Caesar Creek State Park, Waynesville, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Caesar Creek State Park, Waynesville, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Caesar Creek State Park, Waynesville, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Sugarcreek Metropark, Bellbrook, Ohio "It is my intention to present - through the medium of photography - intuitive observations of the natural world which may have meaning to the spectators." - Ansel Adams A classic example of a yearly Ohio resident, this heron can be found in a variety of habitats. From the urban sprawl at river edges to the deepest of saltwater marshes. Great Blues are very versatile and known in their range. For this shot, I had been hiking the hillside vistas of the metropark during Autumn. A side spur to a downhill clearing by the namesake creek is where I found some seclusion. Sitting in a meditative state down the creek was this lone heron, and it occurred I was not as alone I thought. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Philips Park, Beavercreek, Ohio "Wildness is not found but revealed.” - Paul Gruchow Whether the intention or not, this Great Blue Heron surely blends in well with the vertically slender pond grass behind it. It truly is fascinating how wildlife can adapt and blend in as well as they do. This was an image taken at the Philips Park pond towards the end of the day. The heron was pacing back and forth across the small pond. Clearly more intelligent than expected, if the bird saw me getting too close, then it would fly to the other side of the pond. This little dance went on for a while despite me trying to be very careful not to be spotted. If I had to choose a bird that got me into birding, this may be the one. My first encounter with a Great Blue Heron was in fact at Creekside Reserve. Poorly equipped to take a photo of the large bird, I could still see it through the dense brush on the trail side. The heron was placed along the Little Beaver Creek before flying away to the west along the body of water. Up until that point, I had only seen little songbirds and geese or ducks. The incredible wingspan and slender movements interested me to learn more. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Philips Park, Beavercreek, Ohio "Creativity is the blue heron within us waiting to fly; through her imagination, all things become possible." - Nadia Janice Brown If it weren't for the neck leaning forward, this beautiful bird would've really been like the beige vegetation behind it. Still obscured by the environment, herons move in slender microsteps when hunting. I barely saw this one in the rather small pond as it skulked about. Amazing is how they don't hurt their necks when spearing for in the blink of an eye. Whether they fail or suceed at the catch, they're indolently determined to try again without fail. Settings included 375mm zoomed in, 1/1000, f/8 at ISO 200. Every lens has a sweet spot for their sharpness with the aperture, I have found my 150-600mm operates the best at about the f/8-9 range. Generally that number will be two f-stops from your widest aperture. One of my personal favorite birds, every sighting reminds of the first time I encountered one. The larger-than-songbird wingspan caught my eye as it flew down a stream. Maybe I owe all of 'this' to the great blue? © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) & Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Huffman Metropark, Dayton, Ohio © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) & Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Huffman Metropark, Dayton, Ohio "Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark." - Rabindranath Tagore One of my personal favorites in atypical bird compositions. After peering through my binoculars on a warm September morning, my eyes were set on this extended piece of driftwood. The early morning light was just beginning to rise over the treelines at the lakes edge, and I knew what I was after photographing. Cormorants were in large numbers that day, and a decent grouping was "sunning" (wings outstretched to dry off feathers) on this felled tree. These nearly all-black birds would render the image almost one dimensional on it's own, however a lone egret was perched at the top of the driftwood. This single contrast in color set up the photo perfectly without me having to wait long for the elements to be arranged. The morning glow of light added the necessary warmth to complete the entire look. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Huffman Metropark, Dayton, Ohio "The soul has illusions as the bird has wings: it is supported by them." - Victor Hugo Perched all the way at the top, this single egret was in the shade by the edge of the lake. I noticed it quite easily from afar, a white dot atop the shadowed areas hidden from sunlight by the treeline. From there I followed it closer until I got as close a view as possible. Zoomed all the way out at 600mm, I composed the image vertically to show how tall this stack of branches and twigs was. The un-cropped feel of this bird photo works in conveying a sense of scale. I wanted to show the wading bird calmly at the top, yet how small it was in relation to its perch. Get creative with your bird photos! © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Oakes Quarry, Fairborn, Ohio © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Oakes Quarry, Fairborn, Ohio "The civilized man has built a couch, but he has lost the use of his feet." - Ralph Waldo Emerson Wildlife viewing and photography at its' best. This calm morning was just between me and this lone egret. The bright and solid white feathers made it an easy target against the green and brown landscape surrounding it. I was sitting rather motionless, obscured by some nearby brush on the other side of a small pond's edge. My large telephoto lens and camera mounted to a tripod spread low to the sand and pebble grounds. I could sense the energy this water bird was giving off, as it randomly started hopping along end to end like seen here. Getting to watch an egret, bittern or heron "spear" for fish in a pond, lake or stream is deeply entertaining. The bird alternated between hunting, to flapping its wings along like while kicking up water everywhere. From time to time the egret flew to another small pond within the quarry's limits. I was quite humbled to see this beautiful creature "put on a show," whether it was for me or not. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Oakes Quarry, Fairborn, Ohio "The sound of birds stops the noise in my mind." - Carly Simon Skulking along the pond's edge, this single egret was hunting for a fishy morning catch. Just me observing this bird was all that was around; no distractions. To be able to view wildlife this up close and local to my part of the state and world was a gift. Never before could I get this close to a wading bird to due to physical proximity like across a lake. Now I was hunkered down at their level and watching from less than a hundred feet. The dramatic all white plumage of egrets sticks out in almost all habitats and environments. To top it all off photographically speaking, a pleasant reflection in the water adds a nice touch to the frame. Most of the time, the best photos for me are ones that include beautiful moments and stories to tell. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Oakes Quarry, Fairborn, Ohio © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Oakes Quarry, Fairborn, Ohio © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Oakes Quarry, Fairborn, Ohio "I invite you, as Earth and other elements, together with space, eternally provide sustenance for all living things. I invite you to feel the earth under your feet right now. I invite you to sense the pond nearby. I invite you to feel the heat of the sun's fire. And most of all, I invite you to feel the space in your heart." - Herb Ferris A peaceful and quiet morning all to myself at the local quarry. Amongst the mottled greens and browns of the landscape, I could easily see this all-white egret at a ponds edge. This single encounter I believe was my first with them, definitely my first real attempt at photographing their majestic looks. The time of year made sense for seeing them at small and large bodies of water like this. The egret attempted "spear fishing" every now and then before splashing about and moving onto another nearby pond. This specific quarry doesn't fully dry up so the potential for birds like this are possible. Wading birds and shorebirds are a pure joy to observe! © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Huffman Metropark, Fairborn, Ohio One of my personal favorite wading birds, the bright white plumage of these egrets is instantly recognizable from afar. I have found them far across lakes when scanning for wildlife and they happen to congregate in rookeries or as individuals along the waters' edge. Despite this, a close look and photograph of them is rather tricky. Herons and egrets in Ohio can be quite easy to spook and are very aware of their surroundings. The green foliage of late summer obscured me enough to take a few shots as this single egret perched on a piece of driftwood. © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Deeds Point Metropark, Dayton, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Deeds Point Metropark, Dayton, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Deeds Point Metropark, Dayton, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Deeds Point Metropark, Dayton, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Deeds Point Metropark, Dayton, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Huffman Metropark, Fairborn, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Huffman Metropark, Fairborn, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Clifton, Ohio © 2021 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Clifton, Ohio © 2021 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Clifton, Ohio "Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction." - E. O. Wilson A common heron in a special habitat. This was my first encounter with this wader along the gorge. Flying downstream along the lower gorge and perching along a mossy rock. From here, the heron took focus on the rushing whitewater to catch a fishy lunch. © 2021 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.