Camera Data

Camera Model: Canon 10D

Lens: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM

Shutter Speed: 1/180 sec

Aperture: f/8

ISO Speed Rating: 100

Black-Crowned Night Heron (juvenile) Waikoloa, Hawaii.  March, 2007

I’m reluctant to classify this as a “nature” shot given the circumstance. This image of a juvenile Black-Crowned Night-Heron was taken in front of our vacation condo at the Waikoloa Village Beach Resort's “Fairway Villas.”  For the past several mornings I’ve been watching him fishing off a rock outcropping located along a pond adjacent the men’s and ladies’ tee boxes on the 9th fairway directly in front of our lanai. 

This morning, because there was no wind and the light was good, I calmly walked across the course to some tall grass running along the left-hand side of the men’s tee.  Taking my time, using the grass as a screen from the heron’s line of sight, I was able to reach the end of the grassy feature about 20 feet from the heron.  Then, ever so slowly, I continued to approach the heron, a few feet at a time. Eventually, I found myself with 10 feet of the heron. To my great delight, the heron remained calm. The problem was that from where I was crouched, I was out of sight from anyone teeing off from the men’s tee. 

After getting my tripod set up, camera powered up, and lens focused on the bird, I heard the ever so familiar metallic click of an oversized driver smacking the daylights out of a golf ball from the men’s tee behind me. Well, the heron didn’t seem to mind, but then I don’t think he really knew the danger he was in. But I sure as hell did. Anything for a photo!

dwalch2@wave.bicv.net