Photograph Details
Golden catch
‘I wanted to capture this splendid bird at the most beautiful time of day,’ says Thomas. After digging a buried hide at the pond’s edge, he waited each morning at dawn. On day four, conditions were perfect – ‘it looked as though the pond had been set on fire,’ says Thomas, and a great egret about to toss and swallow its crayfish catch obliged. Great egrets hunt mostly at dawn or dusk. The distinctive s-shaped curve in their neck is due to a neat adaptation – the sixth vertebra is modified, allowing them to angle their upper neck back to harpoon prey with their dagger-like bill.
Technical specification
Canon EOS 7D + 300mm f2.8 lens; 1/4000 sec at f2.8 (-1.7 e/v); ISO 100; Manfrotto tripod; hide.
Saulzais-le-Potier, France
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Thomas Villet, France
Thomas grew up on a farm in the middle of the countryside , surrounded by a rich natural environment. He enjoys watching animals in their natural environment without disturbing them, and is keen to raise awareness of nature.