Ignore the Wizard

Jimmy learns the first rule of wildlife photography - distract the subject and - as in the Wizard of Oz - they won't notice the man behind the screen. We threw the white heron a fish and he forgot all about us (almost - just when Jimmy thought it was safe to check his histogram (Jimmy has a very big histogram - for an Irishman) the Heron bit his camera). (No, really, this is the variant white form of the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), not a Great Egret (Ardea alba) (as I can hear you Florida ornithologists suggesting) or so I am told. So, I have no egrets about this photograph.)

For you art lovers the object being photographed is the Great White Heron by John James Audubon from his elephant folio (so called that because he kept it in his trunk). The image was made from Audubon's watercolor drawing by the British print maker Robert Havell in 1835. See historical information on Audubon's excursion to the Florida Keys.

The "Wizard" (and we do think of him that way) is professional photographer James Quine - long time museum associate, friend and cohort in crime. See his remarkable and beautiful images of Cuba at his website. And just in case you think he is just another pretty cameraman check him out playing guitar with his nephew.