Finally, a great Snowy photo!

I drove to Duxbury beach, in bright sunshine, 45 degrees, and had a remarkable morning.  I finally got a Snowy Owl shot that I can be proud of, and the morning included other good shots as well.  Here we go.


Almost immediately after crossing the bridge and turning down South on the beach, here was the Surf Scoter, almost in
Spring garb. 

And a bit later, the White-winged Scoter.  We've had all three Scoters out here
(Including the Black Scoter)

I drove all the way down to Saquish, and saw one Snowy on a pole about a mile away, took one photo, and headed back.
Passing the bridge and heading up the Marshfield side, here was another Snowy on a piling 50 yards from the road!
I took several shots, and then he flew perhaps 100 yards away to another pole out on the beach.

I parked, walked out on the beach, and approached him again.  He peeped once, but refused to move!
I approached to perhaps 40 yards away.  This the way he appeared  in my camera view, no cropping or enlarging.

This is, of course, a crop.

This is as close as I got.

He would have stayed, but a dog raced by behind me, and he took off. 
I was literally too close to photograph his flight.

To close off the day, I walked into the Duxbury Conservation land, just East or Rt. 3, off of Rt. 14,
having never walked there.  I suddenly was aware of a Great Blue Heron, standing still in the
grass about 40 yards away.

I brought my camera up as slow as possible, but that was enough, he
lumbered into the sky, one of the most spectacular lift-offs I know.

I think perhaps he is an immature bird, his color is pretty pale and
indefinite, although that may just be his winter plumage.
What a great morning of birding!