green-backed Heron

Concentration

concentration

Poise, balance, focus and concentration: these are the characteristics of this remarkable hunter that I caught up with on a rainy morning before sunrise in the Kruger National Park. It is a Green-backed (Striated) Heron and is often seen waiting patiently on the water’s edge for small fish to venture irrevocably close. Some people have been lucky enough to see  this species “fishing” with a feather or a leaf dropped as bait onto the water’s surface. This particular individual was, however, using the ancient technique of just waiting, watching and trusting that something will come.  Using flash in this photograph helped me to isolate the bird from its environment and increases the tension in its stare.