I just moved this site over to use DigitalOcean Spaces for storage, vs. the limited space at my webhost. Clearly, this means: I should post photos!
A while back I bought a 400mm f/4.0 DO lens from Adorama’s pre-owned selection, at a surprisingly reasonable price. I’ve since been using it largely for bird photos.
I would like to introduce you to Asher Paul Roth the Great Blue Heron, though it’s not typically styled as a proper noun. Still named Ardea herodias by Linnaeus,
Apparently present through the year in Massachusetts (as in much of the US, and present through North America), it is considered an apex predator in the wetland habitats in which it dwells. They’re well-attuned to wading in search of prey: predominantly fish, but also snakes, insects, and even small mammals.
Check out this (slightly gross) gallery in which it captures (in reverse-chronological order? why?) and then swallows whole a fish from the nearby river:
