Just to be a little silly on a lazy Saturday, I wanted to see if I could create a couple of animated GIFs from my existing bird photos. I got the inspiration from a cute video GIF I saw on Live and Learn last night.
I haven’t made any videos in ages, so a video GIF was out of the question. But I knew clumsier animated GIFs, a little bit like old films from early the 1900s, could be created from stills as well. Ideally taken for that purpose, of course. But since I’ve never created any animations, I had no pictures taken explicitly for these kinds of GIFs.
Then I thought of the Reddish Egret . He’s been showing off his fishing skills several times. Or just showing off. I had planned to feature him in a future “Wordless Wednesday” post, but got the idea to try to animate him. He’s worth it. And I’d have fun.
In the first image he just runs and flexes his muscles. Boosts his confidence in preparation for a fishing trip. But never gets anywhere.
In the second image he gets serious. Buffs himself up, takes a few steps, hits the water and picks a fish. Every time.
Happy weekend to everyone. May you catch a fish every time you try 😀
TINY LESSONS BLOG 
Those are cool…good job! Hugs sweet Tiny.
He will be happy when I tell him you liked his “show”, Maggie. Have a wonderful weekend. Hugs!
OH, Tiny, these are excellent! Great job, my friend. I have not a clue how you did this, but whatever you did, just beautiful! Hoping you are having a great weekend. I read on another blog you are experiencing writer’s block. Don’t let it worry you, one “tiny” bit. When your muse comes back, she will be stronger and better. I know. 😉 Love, Amy ❤
So glad you enjoyed the escapades of this animated fellow, Amy! If I’ll try to do video gifs sometime in the future, I’ll probably use Photoshop. But for these clumsy ones, from images, there is free software online (like gifmaker.me), which makes it much easier. The tricky part is to have suitable images…that’s where I had to do most work. My poetry muse has gone on vacation, without filling in the leave slip…I hope it’ll not be a long one 🙂 Love, Tiny
Your gif muse is filling in. 🙂 Such fun.
I’m afraid the gif muse may only visit once in a blue moon, the vacationer better come back to work 🙂
Well, if it helps, you can come over to my latest post, and see if your muse would be interested in the Love in Ten lines challenge. I invite you to tackle it if you would like to. Your osprey family need a love poem. 😉
This is a great post ~ the photos (GIFs) are excellent, such a perfect way to show these series of shots. What a great little piece of heaven you get to visit 🙂
Thanks Randall. The gifs would have been better had I saved all the shots in these series, and cropped them the same size, but never too old to learn 🙂 This park/marsh really is a lovely little pearl tucked away here on our busy (FL standards) barrier island.
Hilarious!
He is! Free entertainment when he’s around 🙂
My, you are clever.
Just learning new stuff…but Mr. Showman is quite clever, gets a fish every time 🙂
You are expanding an already impressive repertoire!
It’s all your fault, David. You’ve been posting such cute/hilarious/wonderful gifs I had to try if I could make one…retrofitting some images not meant for gifs. It’s doable.
Hats off to you Tiny! These animated images are out of this world. What a brilliant idea!
Thanks much Hien. It was really fun to put these together and I learned a lot of new stuff…and also what not to do with my images if I ever want to make a gif again 🙂
LOVE the animations! They make me feel like I’m there witnessing these glorious birds!
Thanks a lot, Elena. I feel encouraged to try again sometime in the future when I see a dance or a hunt by one of these birds.
Awww, how fun!
It was such a learning experience and so much fun 🙂 Happy you liked my first experiment.
I’m feeling a bit DIZZY after watching those!
I could make a slower moving one for you Nancy 🙂
I find the birds on our lagoon move slower . . .
I just watched two GBH’s swoop in. One started to land at Point A until it saw an opportunity to chase a GWE away from Point B. Cheeky!
Yesterday, an ibis was sitting on our railing when I opened the door. I scared the shit out of it. Literally. Had to hose down the deck.
Florida is for the birds!
Yes, FL is for the birds! Wonderful you also have them right there! Just to tell you that this bird would have moved slower IF I had saved all the shots in these 2 series. But not thinking ever trying animation, I had ditched many shots that would’ve been useful here. Never too old to learn 🙂
It’s great to try/learn new things . . . I look forward to more of your stop action animation.
He does have his own groove doesn’t her Tiny … and you captured it well.
Makes me wonder if egrets have egos after all 😉
Thanks Val. I don’t know if they have egos, but some egrets (and herons too) make one wonder! This particular one does this ritualistic jump dance often…even chases others away from his chosen area of hunting 🙂
He is a character …. they all are aren’t they!?!?
Most of them…I’d exempt Mama Osprey. This evening she was lying almost flat on her three chicks protecting them from high winds and torrential rains…no ego there, but maybe one could say ‘character’ in the best sense 😀
What fun!! 😀
That was lots of fun to do 🙂 And if I ever try this again, I want to have a video to work with or at least a full series of pictures. Thanks Amy!
Reddish Egrets are endlessly fascinating to watch, thank you for the GIFS, they’re fun. 😀
Yes. They are so “animated” on their own, and full of tricks 😀