Flight of the scarlet ibis

Jonathan Jagot's Image

Steering the dinghy slowly up the estuary on Ilha do Lençóis, Jonathan went in search of scarlet ibis, leaving his family behind on the sailing boat.

He anchored at the beach and waited as the birds emerged from the mangroves, feasting on small crustaceans in the receding tide. Then they took off over the sand dunes, glittering like rubies. Translated as the Island of Bed Sheets, Ilha do Lençóis is famous for its fine silica sand dunes, which cover 70% of the island. These towering dunes provide an unusual backdrop for the scarlet ibis, a wading bird usually associated with the marshes and mangroves that line the coast here.


Behind the lens

Jonathan Jagot

Jonathan Jagot

France

Jonathan has spent five years sailing around the world with his parents, seeing incredible landscapes and rare species. He started to photograph wildlife while in Malaysia, and now alternates between photography and correspondence school. His goal is to inspire people to travel and marvel at the nature that surrounds them.

Image details

  • Nikon D5100
  • 55−300mm f4.5−5.6 lens at 300mm
  • 1/1000 sec at f6.3
  • Ilha do Lençois, Brazil
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