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Harryb
May-17-2008, 03:54 PM
Hi Y'all,

Got back from Sedona yesterday and its good to be back. I got to give my new 14-24 2.8 a workout and did mostly landscapes.

Anyhow this season a bunch of GBHs were nesting in the Viera Wetlands and I got the chance to capture the process.

In December the GBHs were nesting and mating
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/235803535_Qvx2x-XL.jpg

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/235803719_dkfxZ-XL.jpg

by the first week of February the chicks were just about visible
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254505483_4bZck-XL.jpg

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254505514_Zfx6C-XL.jpg

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/254505561_5pfQn-XL.jpg

by 2/17 the chicks were easily visible
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/257577792_VqmP2-XL.jpg

the third chick in the back did not survive, it was harassed to death by its older siblings
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/257578038_EtMnA-XL.jpg

by 3/16 they were looking like GBHs
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/266648910_XtA8E-XL.jpg

by 3/27 they were giving their parents hell
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/273381746_YXNXT-XL.jpg

and finally the day. April 30, that all parents dream about, the last chick leaves the nest and starts making their own way. Here the last chick to leave the nest (I named him Jason after my son) starts to hunt on his own and catches a fine stick.
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/287653642_2EHzd-XL.jpg

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/287653570_z8Tx8-XL.jpg
bfjr
May-17-2008, 05:10 PM
Welcome Home :thumb

hope you had a good one

nice return post :super

Someday I'll give Growin Up a try :rofl
Ric Grupe
May-17-2008, 05:45 PM
Very nice, Harry. :thumb

I was hoping for something like this...but a Great Horned Owl had his own plan. I've seen another GBH scouting the nest but I think it's probably too late now.
dbaker1221
May-17-2008, 06:02 PM
great series Harry.. Thanks for sharing it:barb :ivar
jonh68
May-18-2008, 07:51 AM
Nice shots on the progression of the chicks!
Giphsub
May-18-2008, 07:21 PM
Cool set Harry :clap Great to see the progression. I hope Jason learned to tell the difference between a stick and a fish! :lol:
raptorcaptor
May-18-2008, 10:22 PM
Very cool set Harry! Would love to see some of the landscape shots from Sedona! :wink
Harryb
May-19-2008, 12:31 PM
Welcome Home :thumb

hope you had a good one

nice return post :super

Someday I'll give Growin Up a try :rofl

Thanks Ben, I had a fine time in Sedona.
PrescottPhotog
May-19-2008, 04:30 PM
Fun series.. All our GBH nests are in very heavy cover and very tall trees.. all I get is an occasional eyeball and a bunch of branches. Yours seem to be totally out in the open in the type of tree they nest in.
Sad to hear the little one didn't survive.
Harryb
May-19-2008, 09:20 PM
Very nice, Harry. :thumb

I was hoping for something like this...but a Great Horned Owl had his own plan. I've seen another GBH scouting the nest but I think it's probably too late now.

Thanks Ric it was very interesting to follow the chicks development. Hope you have better luck next season.
Harryb
May-20-2008, 06:28 PM
great series Harry.. Thanks for sharing it:barb :ivar

Thanks Dave, glad you liked it.
dlplumer
May-20-2008, 06:55 PM
WOW! Loved them all, but the last is my favorite. What did you use?::bow
Harryb
May-20-2008, 07:13 PM
WOW! Loved them all, but the last is my favorite. What did you use?::bow

Thanks Dan. The nest shots were with the D300 and the 500mm f/4 + 1.4 TC. The last two images were captured with the D3 and the 300mm f/4 + 1.7 TC.
Maestro
May-20-2008, 07:45 PM
Great series Harry. Nice light in those pics as well along with beautiful detail and story. I hope Jason has honed his hunting skills now to actually find living things to eat instead of inanimate objects. :rofl
Harryb
May-21-2008, 09:32 AM
Nice shots on the progression of the chicks!

Thaks for stopping by and taking a look.
Gale
May-21-2008, 10:37 AM
Fantastic Harry
Beautiful images and story

So sorry I missed it.
Well manybe next year

See ya soon
Harryb
May-21-2008, 01:25 PM
Cool set Harry :clap Great to see the progression. I hope Jason learned to tell the difference between a stick and a fish! :lol:

Thanks Mike and he's still alive so I figure he has learned the difference.
Harryb
May-23-2008, 06:07 AM
Very cool set Harry! Would love to see some of the landscape shots from Sedona! :wink

Thanks Glenn and I hope to start processing my Sedona shots in a day or two.
Harryb
May-24-2008, 01:15 PM
Fun series.. All our GBH nests are in very heavy cover and very tall trees.. all I get is an occasional eyeball and a bunch of branches. Yours seem to be totally out in the open in the type of tree they nest in.
Sad to hear the little one didn't survive.

Thanks Chris, we were lucky this year because there were a number of GBH nests that were in pretty good locations to capture.

Egrets and Herons usually have 2-3 chicks. When there are three chicks its pretty common for the third to be a few days or a week younger than its siblings. The youngest usually don't survive as its older siblings harass it or keep it from getting fed.
Harryb
May-25-2008, 09:32 AM
Great series Harry. Nice light in those pics as well along with beautiful detail and story. I hope Jason has honed his hunting skills now to actually find living things to eat instead of inanimate objects. :rofl

Thanks Stephen, he's still alive so I'm guessing that he has it worked out.
Harryb
May-25-2008, 09:32 AM
Fantastic Harry
Beautiful images and story

So sorry I missed it.
Well manybe next year

See ya soon

Thanks Gale and you should be able to get them next year.