Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Philips Park, Beavercreek, Ohio
"Wildness is not found but revealed.” - Paul Gruchow
Whether the intention or not, this Great Blue Heron surely blends in well with the vertically slender pond grass behind it. It truly is fascinating how wildlife can adapt and blend in as well as they do. This was an image taken at the Philips Park pond towards the end of the day. The heron was pacing back and forth across the small pond. Clearly more intelligent than expected, if the bird saw me getting too close, then it would fly to the other side of the pond. This little dance went on for a while despite me trying to be very careful not to be spotted.
If I had to choose a bird that got me into birding, this may be the one. My first encounter with a Great Blue Heron was in fact at Creekside Reserve. Poorly equipped to take a photo of the large bird, I could still see it through the dense brush on the trail side. The heron was placed along the Little Beaver Creek before flying away to the west along the body of water. Up until that point, I had only seen little songbirds and geese or ducks. The incredible wingspan and slender movements interested me to learn more.
© 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.
