Raybo Loc: George Town, Grand Cayman

Have just taken up an interest in bird photography. Was on Little Cayman a couple of weekends ago, and had a chance to spend quite some time observing some wading birds. The sequence below was a single burst from a Canon 90D, so over a couple of seconds. It wasn't a flight takeoff. I watched it do this several times in several different areas to the pond. I also observed the behavior in other waders, specifically what I think was a tricolored Heron in the same pond.

Obviously it has something to do with it's prey, but I could never figure it out. Couldn't tell if it was trying to "herd" it, or casting a shadow for better visibility through the glare. Don't recall, and don't have any captures, of it actually sticking its head in the water to get anything, but that may just be my timing with my eye in the viewfinder. Either way, it was quite interesting to watch.

Anybody able to provide insight on it?

These were processed just enough to get a jpeg from the raw to post...

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MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

That's a Great Egret fishing. I believe what he's doing there is a combination of churning the water to get his prey moving so he could more easily spot it and using his wings to propel himself. Usually, when wading birds use their wings to more easily spot their prey, the wings are held over their heads to shade the water. That behavior is sometimes referred to as "umbrella fishing" and is common with egrets.

Below is an example of a Reddish Egret umbrella fishing. Note the position of the wings in relation to the bird's head and eyes - much like us shading our eyes from the sun for better visibility.

jabra

This is a great capture!

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

Thanks. This was shot at Ding Darling in April, 2019. It was the first time I'd witnessed this behavior and it took me a few minutes to figure out what he was doing. I just wanted to be able to show you an example of the behavior I was trying to describe.

Raybo Loc: George Town, Grand Cayman

Thanks.

Went back through what I got. Have a couple that he isn't moving and has his wings out and folded forward a bit, but none folded over his head like that.

That's a cool shot...

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

I'm pretty sure that egrets don't use that "umbrella" technique to fish, so I'm not in the least surprised you couldn't find a Great Egret shot with wings above the head and forward. It was loads of fun watching the Reddish Egret at Ding Darling because it was the first time I'd ever seen anything like it. I must have missed loads of good shots because the bird just had me mesmerized watching him so gracefully fishing.