Behold thy Stick
by Mark ~ June 27th, 2010. Filed under: birds, nature photography, wildlife.
I present you a stick
And what a great stick it is. Heron courtship and nest-building is one of my favorite activities to watch. It is very ritualistic as the male flies off to collect materials for the nest and bring it back to the female for approval and placement. In their behaviors as he returns, you can almost imagine the male speaking “honey, how about this one?”
Each peek into the social interactions of wildlife gives us one more clue at how we are not so different in many aspects. One more clue to the magnitude of how little we really understand.
I gave this image a monochromatic tonality for simplification. The herons and the sticks become quite isolated from any color distractions. The story is completely about those two elements alone.
June 27th, 2010 at
“Oh yes, I like the stick. Place it over there … no, on second thought, over there … no, it doesn’t really match those curtains, take it back and get another!”
Great shot, Mark and wonderful thoughts about how we are not so very different after all.
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Mark Reply:
June 27th, 2010 at
Funny! I think there will be all sorts of good responses for the female here!
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June 27th, 2010 at
Huh. My wife didn’t seem nearly as impressed as I’d expected. Maybe I got the pose wrong… On the bright side, I did have the foresight to choose a stick that wouldn’t hurt too much to get hit with…
:^D
- Jack
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Mark Reply:
June 27th, 2010 at
Maybe you didn’t flare your feathers enough Jack?
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June 27th, 2010 at
After nearly 30 years of marriage, my flared plumage just doesn’t seem to have the impact it once did… ;^D
- Jack
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June 27th, 2010 at
It seems to me that stick would be so much easier to move around than a couch or recliner.
Interesting as I did not know that about these birds. I’ve not had any opportunities to see them. Most herons I encounter are isolated and in fishing mode. Impeccable timing with his head up high and hers pulled back.
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Mark Reply:
June 27th, 2010 at
Moving yes, selection is a whole other difficulty – stick or couch.
I would think it is quite a rarity for any married man to pick out a couch solo!
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June 27th, 2010 at
I’ve got a huge amount of respect for the male Heron in that he keeps bringing those sticks. Obviously they handle this situation better than most male Homo sapiens.
Nicely done and in my opinion the monochromatic tonality was a perfect choice.
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June 28th, 2010 at
This is a great moment that you shares with us, you can really see their roles as if they were humans. Or is it the other way around, as if we were animals. The processing of the image is nicely done, with great contrast and vignette. I like it a lot.
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June 28th, 2010 at
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I have added in the favorite, I would like an exchange links with you.
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June 28th, 2010 at
Very nice image, Mark, and very well supported by the background story. It must be relaxing to watch these beautiful birds.
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June 28th, 2010 at
Love this! I have always wanted to see herons nesting, but rookery sites are difficult to find around here because of the vast stretches of inaccessible land; and when rookeries are located in more accessible areas that location is a closely guarded secret! The image is perfectly done.
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June 29th, 2010 at
I really like this, when I read the title and seen the image it made me laugh! Great job on the processing Mark, this is very nice, and I really like the lighthearted touch you gave it.
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July 1st, 2010 at
Thanks so much everyone.
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July 4th, 2010 at
Great shot & perfect in b/w, of course.
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July 5th, 2010 at
The monotone is perfect, and the behavior fascinating.
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July 6th, 2010 at
Thank you Lana and Amber.
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