Snake River

Snowy Egret

/ Cliff / 6 Comments

Come to think of it, I tried to photograph Snowy Egrets with my very first camera and roll of film back in High School. They represent, in that way, the beginning of me holding a camera. That first time they all flew off before I could get very close and I only captured one of their silhouettes against the sun’s rays. The result was interesting enough to have my Dad express a bit of jealousy when he finally saw it weeks later projected on the screen as we sat around the kitchen table to see the results of my first roll. It was beginner’s luck of course, or.. a simple willingness to wildly point and click with little forethought.

This Snowy Egret, in Southern California and accustomed to people nearby, was less skittish than those 20+ years ago at that Snake River inlet, which made for a nice haiku like moment.

Focused

Mindful

Snowy Egret Leaping out of the water and beginning flight

Done

I’ll have to see if I can track down that old slide photo and post it here.

Double-Crested Cormorant

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I grew up observing Cormorants on the Snake River but I didn’t really KNOW they had such a bright yellow beak until this shot.

I am taken with their prehistoric nature. They are not all that buoyant.. as you can see in this photo. They swim around like a swamped canoe. (I was in a canoe when I shot this photo) And they have to sit in trees with wings spread to dry themselves because they are not the most waterproof waterfowl on the planet.

They are great under water though!

My daughter Linda and I observed this one catching a little fish a few minutes earlier.

double crested cormorant

Another Sunset

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Sunset illuminates clouds with train bridge

At one or all of the damns upstream from where I live on the Snake River they are holding back water. As a consequence the water level has dropped low enough that one can walk the length of the river on what is the new mini beach-like bank. I’ll make it my new walking path over the next several days and take in some viewing angles on the river that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to enjoy. This photo doesn’t represent an especially new angle. It was a last minute scramble just to get in position before the sky darkened. Fortunately I didn’t get a speeding ticket this time as I raced the setting sun.