Behind the Lens: Stalking a great blue heron while it stalks its prey in Weymouth
Editor's note: You see Greg Derr's photos all the time. But how a particular image is made can be just as compelling. "Behind the Lens" brings you more information about the images.
One of my favorite spots in Weymouth is Whitmans Pond. Most times when I'm in Weymouth I stop there to see what wildlife or scenic shots I can find. From people fishing, to dragonflies hunting for insects, to geese with their young brood to ice fishermen, or ice boaters on the smooth ice.
The great blue heron is one of the largest birds in our area with a wing span of 6 and a half feet. It uses its long legs to wade in water and its long neck to thrust a spear-like bill into small fish and frogs – then swallows them whole. The great blue usually migrates south for the winter but some tough out the winter here.
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For this shot I saw a large heron hunting in the lily pads on the northeast corner of the pond. I used a Canon camera and a 600mm lens that I also use for sports and distance landscape shots. It really comes in handy for wildlife. Settings were 400 ISO sensitivity and 1/500 of a second in shutter priority. I enjoy wildlife shots or just watching wildlife – a good escape from driving between assignments.
The light was not great – high noon sun, but you get what you get. The pond is ringed with lots of brush that allows for stalking wildlife. I was able to get about 50 yards from the hunting bird. A camera monopod allowed me to support the camera and lens easily and keep the heron in my viewfinder. It took a few minutes but the heron made a few stabs at some minnows and caught one. A fast shutter speed helped freeze the action. It’s not a prize winner, but it is a good example of the life that surrounds us every day if you just take a few minutes to look.
Greg Derr is a 35-year veteran of The Patriot Ledger. He is a master photographer and author of two books, “Boston’s South Shore” and “Plymouth at Its Best.” He has covered everything from the Super Bowl to presidential Inaugurations while always maintaining his focus on the South Shore. Greg is also a former US Olympian.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Behind the Lens: Stalking a great blue heron in Weymouth
