The anhinga, or snakebird is interesting. It is neither very attractive, like most birds, nor graceful – at least not in the air. It is territorial and has a raucous cawing sound. Yet it is quite appealing to me.
It flies competently, swims masterfully and stumbles around like a duck on land. What intrigues me about it primarily is the quality that gives its nickname: snakebird. It moves through the water in such a way that looks like a snake. It breaches the surface from below, hardly disturbing the surface tension.
And it subsides just as quietly. Often I think I have imagined them, and I have more than once inadvertently captured one that I noticed only after I was reviewing a clip of something else.
This bird is also adept at fishing and I have a video around that documents a snakebird munching on the law, moving into the water, losing its meal and recapturing it. It is very dramatic.
They are interesting to watch because they do not appear to behave in a regular birdlike manner. They perch in trees, on driftwood and on the dock. They also chase off other birds that try to occupy just that corner of the dock where it can get a clear hit of sunlight and see all it’s surroundings.
- Aperture: ƒ/8
- Camera: Canon PowerShot SX510 HS
- Focal length: 101.765mm
- ISO: 80
- Shutter speed: 1/60s