I captured this stunning photo of a Great Blue Heron during my visit to the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. This particular bird was located in Horton Slough, which is situated at the bridge before beginning the wildlife tour road. Although I typically avoid this spot because it’s a popular fishing location, I lucked out as there was nobody around when I arrived.
After making two trips on the wildlife tour road without finding any suitable subjects to photograph, I was delighted to come across this beautiful heron.
Here’s how I managed to get the shot:
The Great Blue Herons in this area are quite used to people fishing and therefore tend to be less skittish around humans. Additionally, the slough where this bird was located is abundant in shad, which makes it an ideal feeding spot for these birds.
To capture the photo, I parked my pickup truck and opened the door slightly to create a stable platform using a bean bag draped over the open window. Initially, I started shooting with the door closed to ensure I wasn’t disturbing the bird. However, when I realized the heron was not bothered by my presence, I opened the door to get a closer shot, gaining an extra foot of distance.
For this shot, I used a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with an EF500mm f/4L IS USM lens.
During my visit to the refuge, I noticed a surprising number of people out before sunrise, despite it being the day after Christmas. It turns out, many were duck hunters scouting for a youth hunt.
Overall, it was a memorable experience to capture this stunning photo of a Great Blue Heron. I was lucky to find this bird in such a picturesque location and to be able to photograph it up close without causing any disturbance.
More photos of this bird: Great Blue Heron After Grooming, Great Blue Heron Catching Two Shad, Great Blue Heron Catching Shad and Great Blue Heron Reflection In Water
Here is a large old Raccoon I came across after photographing this Great Blue Heron: Large Raccoon On Tree