Herons

Grey Heron identified by its black cap and overall grey colour. They have an amazing ability to remain dead still for extended periods. Highly focused hunters.

Green-backed Heron normally very shy and only flushed out of hiding at the last second. Sometimes you can be lucky and it hangs around just long enough for a shot.

Grey Herons are slow flyers in still air conditions and therefore reasonably easy to capture a reasonable in flight shot. Backgrounds are always an issue if they don’t fly up to give you blue sky background.

Squacco Heron hunts on the Chobe River.

Purple Heron on finals with full flaps, air bleeding off trailing edge of primaries, alulas fully out and undercarriage lowered.

Grey Heron taking off to give blue sky backgrounds.

Unusual background (deep shallow far behind) for this Squacco Heron in flight.

Black Heron (used to be called the Black Egret in the old days). Stunning yellow feet and a unique umbrella method of hunting. I am still trying top get a good shot of the fascinating hunting action.

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron. Usually come out in late afternoon in preparation for night hunting.

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron in the late afternoon on the Chobe River.

Grey Heron

Purple Heron on top of trees overlooking the Chobe River.

Not often you can look down on a Purple Heron in flight. You will always have problematic backgrounds from this perspective.

Green-backed Heron hunting.

Purple Heron hunting – can stay dead still for long periods.

Acrobatic Squacco Heron hunting but just needed to stretch for a second.

Adult Black-crowned Night Heron in the late afternoon on the Chobe River preparing for its nightly hunting routine.

Golath Heron drying its wings.

Golath Heron resting just like a stork.

Black Heron using its unique umbrella hunting technique. The fist swim into the shady area thinking they cannot be seen

Those striking yellow feet of the Black Heron – it looks as if he stepped in a tin of yellow road-marking paint

Black Heron is usually darker and has yellow feet and not the greenish legs of a Slaty Egret. The Slaty Egret has a slightly reddish throat too.

This Squacco Heron was flying passed us on the boat in the Chobe River.

Green-backed Heron sitting on a dead tree trunk lying in the water at Lake Panic in Kruger Park.

Green-backed Heron preening itself on a dead tree trunk which was lying in the water at Lake Panic in Kruger Park.

Black Heron in full hunting mode-umbrella style

Black heron spreads its wings over its head for form an umbrella which creates a deep shade patch in the water. This fools the fish into thinking they are safe in the deep shade.

Unique Black Heron fishing technique

Black Headed Heron

Black Headed Heron coming in to land at Marievale

Black Headed Heron in flight at Marievale

Black Headed Heron in a more unusual pose. That neck is so flexible.

Black Headed Heron about to touch down in Marievale

A Squacco Heron disturbed by our boat. They fly up from the reeds where they were feeding only to landing ten or fifteen metres further away.

Green-backed Heron standing in front of a background in deep shade – you don;t often get this type of subject emphasis but it works really well.

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