50 images and composites from a training session on Chincoteague Island, VA.

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Images on this page are in two different Gallery Collections on the Photoshelter website.
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Images can be found in the Birds Collection and the Featured Birds Collection

This page is dedicated to my friend

Paul Frye (1948-2008)

Paul started out as a student, attending several sessions in various national parks, and ended up being a shooting buddy and one of the BAAB (Bad-Ass Alaska Boys) as well as one of the BABB (Bad-Ass Bosque Boys)... a group of deranged, red-eyed photographic fanatics who would brave below-zero Fahrenheit temperatures and 18-hour days to attempt to capture the elusive shot-of-a-lifetime, or simply the shot of the moment. Sometimes it was the shot that got away.

It seemed that whenever one or another of this particular group of photographers would pass the word that a shoot was on in a far-away venue, Paul was up for the challenge. He was always ready, and always contributed to the camera-derie (I know... it’s definitely a bad pun) as well as coming up with some truly spectacular shots.
 

We’re missing you, Paul.

Black Crowned Night Heron 3469

Black Skimmer 4191

Black Skimmers 4002

Black Skimmer 3976

Black Skimmer 4011

It’s amazing to watch the Skimmers
glide a couple of inches over the water,
their wingtips touching the water on the
downstroke to keep their beak in line.

Black Skimmer 4351

They do this when a fish hits their
beak but they miss the catch.

Black Skimmer 3676

Shooting these guys at sunset (or sunrise)
can be extremely difficult. If you have the sun
at your back (as in these shots) and you try to
hold the highlight on the light feathers, the head
will be so dark that you can’t see the eye. Shots
like that are often passed over in selections.

Black Skimmer 3677

After having discarded a number of shots
due to the head being too dark, I decided to
allow the highlight on the body to overexpose a
bit more than it does to the eye. This results
in the head and eye being well-defined.
Overall, a better result in my opinion.

Black Skimmers 3616

Black Skimmer SXXL

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Available as an SXXL Composite (6460 x 4080)

Dew on Spiderweb 3338

Eastern Kingbird 2112

This Kingbird was actually shot in
the Catskills before I came south to
Washington DC and Chincoteague.

Eastern Kingbird 2184

Rather than bury this cute bird in
the Assorted Birds page, I thought
I’d put him here where he’s featured.

Eastern Kingbird 2190

A classic pose...don’t you think?
This fellow really went after the bugs.

Eastern Kingbird 2196

I took a vignette approach for this shot
of our little friend after catching a bug.

Cattle Egret 3240

Note the difference in the legs and bill.

Snowy Egret Strut 4379

Groucho would have been proud...

Snowy Egret 3499, 3503

Two head-on shots of a hunting Snowy.

Images on this page are in two different Gallery Collections on the Photoshelter website.
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Images can be found in the Birds Collection and the Featured Birds Collection

Great Egret Hunting 3711

Great Egret Hunting 3767

A sunset and dusk fishing session. This Great Egret was an accomplished hunter.
He caught about 50 little Silversides while I was watching and shooting him.

Great Egret Hunting 4120

Long-beaked birds like the Great Egret look so comical head-on...

Great Egret Hunting 4122

Great Egret Hunting 4139

Tossing it down...

Great Egret Hunting 4140

... and swallowing. He did this a lot.

Great Egret Hunting 4137

Poosh! There’s another one.

Great Egret Hunting 4142

Oops... Missed that time.

Great Egret Flip 4156

This shot started something that folks called “The Reznick Flip”
The Egrets and Herons often flip the fish up in the air and strike forward
to catch them in their gullet. It’s a tricky timing shot, because the fish is in the
air for only about 1/2 second. Most birds telegraph the action in some consistent
manner, and if you watch them you can catch their “tell” and prepare for the flip.

Great Egret Hunting 4160

He looks pretty satisfied with himself. He ought to...
he just caught and ate at least 50 of those little Silversides.

Great Egret Hunting VLG

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Great Egret Hunting Chincoteague SXXL

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Available as an SXXL Composite (6040 x 4125)

Images on this page are in two different Gallery Collections on the Photoshelter website.
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Images can be found in the Birds Collection and the Featured Birds Collection

Great Egret Roosting 3792

Great Egret Sunrise 3821

Getting ready for a sunrise hunt.

Great Egret Sunrise 3828

Several egrets gathered to fish this creek.

Great Egret Sunrise Flight 3837

Great Egret Sunrise Flight 3841

Great Egret Sunrise Hunt 3873

The light was perfect to catch reflection shots.

Great Egret Sunrise Hunt 3876

Great Egret Sunrise Hunt 3884

Great Egret Sunrise Hunt XXL

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Available as an XXL Composite (4284 x 4150)

Great Egret Flight to Roost XL

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Available as an XL Composite (3220 x 2750)

Greater Yellowlegs Chincoteague

Images on this page are in two different Gallery Collections on the Photoshelter website.
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Images can be found in the Birds Collection and the Featured Birds Collection

Laughing Gull 3621

Laughing Gull 4038

This fellow obviously had a long day.
He had a laugh at himself after the yawn.

Laughing Gull 4040

Laughing Gull 4294

Laughing Gull VLG

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Available as a VLG Composite (2510 x 2200)

White-Faced Ibis 3395

Red Deer 3241

Red Deer 3242

Red Deer 3269

Sanderling Female 3412

Sanderling Female 3420

Sanderling Female 3424

Sanderling Female 3435

Sanderling Female 3449

Sanderling Female 3450

I don’t often shoot peeps, but this Sanderling was quite photogenic and I couldn’t resist.

Sanderling Female XXL

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Available as an XXL Signed Composite (4520 x 3200)

Images on this page are in two different Gallery Collections on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Gallery Collections page where a Collection can be selected.

Images can be found in the Birds Collection and the Featured Birds Collection