The right light, part 2

The anhinga is not a particularly pretty bird. Still, this is one of my favorite photos, because the light is just right. If memory serves, I took this picture a few minutes and a few hundred yards away from where I took the picture of the pelicans I posted yesterday. The sun wasn’t yet very high in the sky, and it was directly behind me (pro tip: never shoot into the sun, unless you’re trying to create a silhouette). The light makes the bird’s feathers and beak stand out beautifully against the blue water.

If you’ve ever visited the coastal areas of the South, you’ve likely seen an anhinga. And you’ve likely seen one perched just like this. Anhingas do not have the natural oil that makes their feathers waterproof. So unlike herons, ducks and all those other water birds, anhingas have to air-dry their wings after they come out of the water. On the plus side, having non-waterproof feathers helps them submerge deeper in the water to stalk fish. Their name comes from the Brazilian Tupi language, meaning devil bird.