Ardea herodias - Steve Creek

Great Blue Heron Eating A Fish Close-up

I photographed this Great Blue Heron Eating A Fish Close-up at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

Their diet includes a significant amount of fish. They consume a wide range of species, including bass, carp, sunfish, and minnows. Due to their ravenous appetites, great blue herons regularly consume up to 2 pounds of fish each day.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Eating A Fish Close-up

I photographed this Great Blue Heron while sitting in my pickup. I had my camera and lens resting on a bean bag draped over the open window of my pickup.

Gear Used:

Camera: Canon EOS R7
Lens: RF 800mm F11 IS STM

Technical:

Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (Oklahoma)
Date and Time Taken: January 3, 2023 (11:47 A. M.)
Exposure Mode: Manual
Aperture: f11 (Fixed)
Shutter speed: 1/2500
ISO: 2500 (Auto)
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Evaluative
Back-button Focus
Animal Eye Single Point Auto Focus
Exposure Compensation: -2 EV
Focal Length: 800 mm

Great Blue Heron Lifting Off

A Great Blue Heron lifting off from the Charleston City Lake Dam here in Arkansas. I photographed it with the tips of its toes still touching the ground.

I posted a photo a few days ago of this same Great Blue Heron Taking Off from the deep section of this same lake near the Dam.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Lifting Off

I photographed this Great Blue Heron while sitting in my pickup. I had my camera and lens resting on a bean bag draped over the open window of my pickup.

Gear Used:

Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM

Technical:

Location: Charleston City Lake (Arkansas)
Date and Time Taken: January 23, 2023 (09:50 A. M.)
Exposure Mode: Manual
Aperture: f7.1
Shutter speed: 1/3200
ISO: 640 (Auto)
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Evaluative
Back-button Focus
Animal Eye Single Point Auto Focus
Exposure Compensation: -1 EV
Focal Length: 500 mm

Great Blue Heron Taking Off

I photographed this Great Blue Heron Taking Off from the deep section of the Charleston City Lake in Charleston, Arkansas.

Because of their size and ability to forage in deeper waters, Great Blue Herons can access habitats that are inaccessible to most other heron species.

The Great Blue Heron often forages in shallow waters, typically less than 2 feet deep, or along the water’s edge both during the day and at night, but notably at dawn and dusk.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Taking Off

Here is the same Great Blue Heron lifting off from the Charleston City Lake Dam: Great Blue Heron Lifting Off

Gear Used:

Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: RF 800mm F11 IS STM

Technical:

I photographed this Bird while sitting in my pickup. I had my camera and lens resting on a bean bag draped over the open window of my pickup.

Location: Charleston City Lake (Arkansas)
Date and Time Taken: January 9, 2023 (10:59 A. M.)
Exposure Mode: Manual
Aperture: f11
Shutter speed: 1/3200
ISO: 3200 (Auto)
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Evaluative
Back-button Focus
Animal Eye Single Point Auto Focus
Exposure Compensation: -4/3 EV
Focal Length: 800 mm

Flying Great Blue Heron With Shad

I photographed this Flying Great Blue Heron With Shad at the Charleston City Lake in Charleston, Arkansas. This Great Blue Heron was jumping off a platform near the Dam to catch shad (Great Blue Heron Unique Fishing Method). After catching the Shad it would fly to land to eat it.

Flying Great Blue Heron With Shad (Ardea herodias)

Gear Used:

Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: RF 800mm F11 IS STM

Technical:

Location: Charleston City Lake (Arkansas
Date and Time Taken: January 9, 2023 (11:16 A. M.)
Exposure Mode: Manual
Aperture: f11
Shutter speed: 1/3200
ISO: 2000 (Auto)
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Evaluative
Back-button Focus
Animal Eye Single Point Auto Focus
Exposure Compensation: -4/3 EV
Focal Length: 800 mm

Great Blue Heron With Wingtip Touching Water

I photographed this Great Blue Heron With Wingtip Touching Water while I was at the Charleston City Lake in Charleston, Arkansas. The Great Blue Heron dove off of a platform in the lake (Great Blue Heron Unique Fishing Method) and caught the fish. It then flies with the fish to the bank to swallow it.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Wingtip Touching Water

Gear Used:

Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: RF 800mm F11 IS STM

Technical:

Location: Charleston City Lake (Arkansas
Date and Time Taken: January 10, 2023 (09:04 A. M.)
Exposure Mode: Manual
Aperture: f11
Shutter speed: 1/3200
ISO: 6400 (Auto)
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Evaluative
Back-button Focus
Animal Eye Single Point Auto Focus
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 EV
Focal Length: 800 mm

Great Blue Heron Eating A Fish Close-up

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Technical:

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Great Blue Heron Lifting Off

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Great Blue Heron Taking Off

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Flying Great Blue Heron With Shad

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Great Blue Heron With Wingtip Touching Water

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