Heron takes flight

[autobotscoutriella]

I accidentally walked up on this lovely heron at the lake today (US Midwest, small man-made lake that just happens to be close enough for me to walk to), and he was obliging enough to stand still until I had a chance to get out the camera! I see a lot of birds out there every year (right now we also have ducklings, a small geese population, and a lot of red-winged blackbirds), but this is the closest I've ever gotten to one of the herons, and I thought this community might like to see him.



Fairly sure it's a great blue heron, though I'm not a bird-identifying expert.

Comments

[full_metal_ox]

Great Blue Heron (and probably the terror of everyone but the adult geese) would be my call—and whoa, what a capture! (Cue the theme song to “Nature.”)

[autobotscoutriella]

Thank you! And yeah, there was definitely some dramatic music playing in my head when he took off - they're so big up close.

[full_metal_ox]

“Free Bird” also works.

[chestnut_pod]

What a lucky shot! I love that arc of water-diamonds following the heron's feet. Definitely a great blue!

[autobotscoutriella]

It was extremely cool to see him so close - I rounded the corner and there he was. Usually I only get to see him from all the way across the lake!

[senmut]

Oh that reminds me of some of the waterways near me. We had an old man heron that was the delight of every visit to one of them.

[autobotscoutriella]

They're such cool birds. I usually pay more attention to the geese (because the heron minds his business while the geese will casually waltz right up to you and then demand you move) but I love seeing him every now and then.

[adafrog]

:)

[autobotscoutriella]

:D

[shirebound]

He's magnificent.

[autobotscoutriella]

He really is! I hope he'll be around more this summer.

[groundwiremantaray]

Beautiful action shot!

[autobotscoutriella]

Thank you!

[pauraque]

That certainly is a Great Blue Heron! Fantastic shot!

[autobotscoutriella]

Thank you! He's so pretty.

[full_metal_ox]

Off-topic, but is your icon Arcee, blinged-out for some Cybertronian Christmas analogue?

(It is a truth universally acknowledged that any culture portrayed in a lucrative toy franchise will have a winter holiday devoted to gift-giving, family, and feasting (which I presume would consist of fancy Energon.)

[autobotscoutriella]

Not Arcee, but an OC closely based on her design - and yep, blinged out for some Cybertronian Christmas analogue! I don't remember which of several options I picked at the time (because your parenthetical is extremely correct and they've done it several times), but that's what was going on.

[zenigotchas]

Thank you for the heron! I've been thinking about them lately.

They're such beautiful creatures, aren't they?

[autobotscoutriella]

You're welcome! They really are stunning. This guy (or one of the same species) shows up to the lake every summer, and it's always exciting when I spot him, but this is the closest I've ever gotten.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

What a shot!

[autobotscoutriella]

Thank you!

[kazzy_cee]

What a great action shot!

[autobotscoutriella]

Thank you! It was extremely cool to be so close to such a big bird taking off.

[cmcmck]

What a lovely shot!

[autobotscoutriella]

Thank you! He's a very cool bird.

[seaglassgarden]

marvelous!!! wonderful bird and excellent picture

[autobotscoutriella]

Thank you!! He's so pretty - I'm hoping to see more of him this summer (though I probably won't get that close again, this was a very lucky shot).

[puddleshark]

Oh, how stunning!

What a fabulous shot!

[autobotscoutriella]

Thank you!! Great blue herons really are stunningly huge up close - it was very cool to see him take off like that.

[kaishin108]

That photo could win an award at the fair! I love how you captured it just perfectly. :)

[turlough]

This is a fantastic photo of a very majestic bird!