Thursday, December 10, 2020

The Great Blue Heron

 
 "Autumn is grey rainy afternoons, and fond memories of raking up leaves into tidy neat piles,
 just to jump in a spread them around again." 
 
~Jason Soroski
 
The Great Blue Heron is one of the most beautiful birds I have ever seen, and being able to photograph it, is nothing but a joyful experience. So, you might be able to imagine how happy I was last Sunday, when I came across this one. It was just doing some hunting, in the front yard of a house about a half mile from the Woodbridge Ecological Preserve, in Lodi California. Just minding it's own business, waiting for it's lunch. I never get tired of watching them, their behavior is deliberate, and their voice somewhat imposing. Don't be fooled by it's size, it only weighs 5-6 pounds!They move slowly, unless they spot food, and if they do, they spring forward with grace and speed and rarely miss their prey. I photographed my first one in Golden Gate Park, in San Francisco, several years ago, but this is only the second one I have seen in San Joaquin Valley, since we moved here. It was a nice bit of luck to see one, I only wish there hadn't been a fence between me and him, because I would have liked to have done a better photo of him. He took my breath away! Hopefully next time we meet, I will be able to photograph him in mid-flight. Beautiful.
 
 


 
~Carly
Stockton, California
December 10th 2020

No comments: