Great Blue Heron | Scouting

 

Great Blue Heron | Scouting

Great Blue Heron | Scouting  This Great Blue Heron paid no attention to me, about 30 yards away, as I walked along one of my favorite walkabouts.  He was just too busy with the task at hand, scouting for fish.  The click was relatively easy; just focus, keep an eye on the subject, and wait for the right pose.  It’s too far away from the water to actually be fishing.  Maybe later!  See Great Blue Heron | a 7 Image Story for the whole story.

Great Blue Heron | Close Up

Great Blue Heron | Close Up

Great Blue Heron | Close Up  Why do I like Great Blue Herons?  The Great Blue is a big beautiful bird.  It’s common in many parts of the country so there are many photographic opportunities to capture images with multiple poses.  And, my nightly walkabout travels by areas frequented by them.  See Great Blue Heron | a 7 Image Story for the whole story.

Great Blue Heron | a 7 Image Story

Great Blue Heron | Close UpGreat Blue Heron | a 7 Image Story  Why do I like Great Blue Herons?  The Great Blue is a big beautiful bird.  It’s common in many parts of the country so there are many photographic opportunities to capture images with multiple poses.  And, my nightly walkabout travels by areas frequented by them.  They only partially migrant; moving south if the temperatures get to cold.

Great Blue Herons frequent shorelines, river banks, and the edges of marshes, estuaries, and ponds in both freshwater and saltwater.  They fly with such ease.  It looks almost elegant.   Of course, flying with a five to six-foot wingspan while weighing only 5 to 6 pounds looks pretty easy doesn’t it.  Like all birds, they have hollow bones.

Great Blue Herons eat almost anything within striking distance including fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, insects, and other birds. They use their dagger-like bills to impale larger fish.  Great Blue Herons tend to go fishing alone; wading slowly or standing stock still while peering into the water for fish.  They can quickly strike prey at a distance; lightning fast.  Also, they can hunt day and night due to their excellent night vision.  With a little luck, they can live over 20 years.

Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Great Blue Heron .

Click any image below for a slide show!

 

 

Great Blue Heron Fishing

Great Blue Heron Fishing

Great Blue Heron Fishing  On my walkabouts, it’s easy to pass up species common to the area like the Great Blue Heron.  Great Blue Heron are both common and beautiful.  With changing light particularly late in the day, several images of the same heron can look quite different.  And, if the heron are accustomed to people in the area, it does not take a very long lens to capture nice images.