A heron is not just a heron... 🤔 - #SMaP Photo Contest Round 235

Naturally, there are many kinds of herons. This one, for example, seems to be a Great Blue Heron (Great White) - Ardea herodias occidentalis.

Playa del Chivo, 6 September. Havana. World Shorebirds Day.

There she is, in the far background. Isn’t she magnificent in her size?

😃

But this one... this is a reddish egret, white morph, in its juvenile stage.

When I took this photo, I was reminded of the well-known phrase by the master of photojournalism, Robert Capa:

“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.”

Well, I had my 45–200 mm lens mounted on the camera, and I got as close as I possibly could to this beauty.

Surely that photographer over there captured a great shot when the Great White took flight; she was quite close. I watched it all unfold from a distance.

But as I was saying, a heron is never just a heron in the world of birdwatchers. You have to look closely at the bill, its colouring, the plumage, the legs—and a few other little details—to determine what kind of heron you're actually looking at.

A member of the Cuban birdwatching club explained to me that one must learn to observe carefully—even when it comes to migratory birds. Whether it’s a recent arrival, midway through its journey, preparing to depart, or a permanent resident... you have to take all that into account. Age matters too, because a juvenile is not the same as an adult. The characteristics can vary greatly. And in the end, he added that he wasn’t telling me this to intimidate me, but rather so I’d see it as a challenge. There are some guides you can consult to improve your accuracy when identifying the bird in question.

🤣 While I was writing this post, another club member said to me: “Nani, that one’s got her ID registered at El Chivo. Her name’s Lucrecia.”

Well, lovely to meet you, Lucrecia, you posed for me like a seasoned model.

During this photo session, I noticed that, unlike the first time I visited that beach, the colours of Havana in the background were softer. The sun wasn’t strong, and the tide was higher. Where I once walked over sharp stones and green silt, there was now vegetation. I couldn’t tell you exactly what kind, but it looked like purslane.

Three fellow birdwatchers who were there called out to me: “Look above you, look above you...” I thought something was about to fall on me. I looked up, a little startled.

And this is what I saw, an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus). They told me, visibly excited, what bird it was, and shortly afterwards I saw it was marked as “uncommon” on Merlin.

With joy, I now put the final full stop to this post—grateful to have brought these majestic birds to the Feathered Friends Community and take part in this round of the competition. Thanks to the whole team, and warm greetings from Cuba. 🤗