Rookery in full swing in TX-

[TwilightImaging]

Yesterday in the middle of thick Pines...I followed a pair of Herons carrying sticks a few miles back...they usually don't nest this early and it's usually near Galveston or High, Padre Islands. The closer I got...there were egrets, herons all coming and going...a complete city in the middle of the woods.

They were mating, building nests, fighting...all 80 to 100 feet up. I counted almost 40 nests in a half dozen tall pines. I moved around to get better images, dang branches, after a bit of time they were completely comfortable with me being there. It was incredible.

Getting tree spikes tomorrow for the nesting shots There is a perfect tree that I can use and not cause them stress using the 400 with a 2xc. One small problem...I need to get 100 feet up and there's not one branch on the way up... If I don't post anymore after Sunday...it was great meeting everyone...keep shooting!

 

[kom526]

Get yourself a good harness and climb up about 10-15 ft (w/ harness attached) and let go and allow the harness to do its job. This will help give you some peace of mind as you're going up.

Couple of rules for you:
Let someone know where you're going to be.
Trust your equipment.
Never climb higher than you are willing to fall.
The fall isn't going to kill you, it's the sudden stop at the end.

Good Luck!

 

[TwilightImaging]

sudden stop...hehe. Yeah, I plan on tying off every 20 feet or so...hope my harness is still good...or still fits I'll secure 100 feet of rope once up there so repelling and ascending is easier in the future.
Thanks Kom, this should be good.

 

[desertrat]

Yesterday in the middle of thick Pines...I followed a pair of Herons carrying sticks a few miles back...they usually don't nest this early and it's usually near Galveston or High, Padre Islands. The closer I got...there were egrets, herons all coming and going...a complete city in the middle of the woods.

They were mating, building nests, fighting...all 80 to 100 feet up. I counted almost 40 nests in a half dozen tall pines. I moved around to get better images, dang branches, after a bit of time they were completely comfortable with me being there. It was incredible.

Getting tree spikes tomorrow for the nesting shots There is a perfect tree that I can use and not cause them stress using the 400 with a 2xc. One small problem...I need to get 100 feet up and there's not one branch on the way up... If I don't post anymore after Sunday...it was great meeting everyone...keep shooting!

Sounds like a good spot for a climbing tree stand.

 

[jbr13]

This is NOT what we need to see as your next picture posted!!!!

 

[TwilightImaging]

This is NOT what we need to see as your next picture posted!!!!

I just tested the EQ...good to go, had to practice the knots a bit, it's been awhile I had to get back on the chair after that image...
Awesome PS J!!
Do you mind if I save that?
Gotta git to a shoot...thanks ever'body...too funny! In that picture Alexis was giving the look, I had told her 9 months prior that I wouldn't race any more after I broke just my R radius...she was a bit peeved, haha.
It'll be good, now I had better get some killer images...bad choice of words huh?
Later all.

 

[jbr13]

Yeah, no problem Mike. Enjoy it.

J

 

[oldman]

A couple years ago, off the Mattawoman I believe, we followed a stream back as far as we could. Heard lots of bird chatter to find that off in a distance was a heron rookery. Some older trees had been destroyed by their droppings but they continue to nest in the same area. The chatter came when the parents would come flying in and the young were anxiously awaiting a meal. One of the neatest things, among many, I've ever seen. Heck, I never knew they nested in trees until then.

 

[Pete]

Bird porn, just when I thought the forums couldn't get more strange.

 

[MrX]

Good luck! Sounds like its gonna be an adventure

 

[oldman]

Bird porn, just when I thought the forums couldn't get more strange.

Yea, but just the though of any kind of porn brought you in didn't it? BTW, have you ever done IT in a tree?

 

[CMC122]

Good luck! Sounds like its gonna be an adventure

We watched alot of the same behaviors while camping at Point Lookout last spring and it was so cool!

 

[TwilightImaging]

I'm hoping, if done correctly, it should yield some great images and allow me to watch and learn their behavior traits more. There is one place down here to see this sort of thing...just one and you have to be on a platform with a ka-zillion other people with 6,000mm lenses to get good images.

Watch, I'll get up there and forget the mem card! waaaaa.

 

[TwilightImaging]

For those wondering which is more fun, scaling a 100 foot pine or jumping out of a plane...take the plane! SHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESH!