As the Herons gather more nesting material they start to forage further from the rookery. It doesn’t take long for all the easy sticks to be taken.
These are big birds, yet they fly between and around trees and grasses with little problem.
This is just about the perfect time of year to photograph Great Blue Herons in flight. Some afternoons they are non stop.
A Great Blue Heron waiting for a mate. Taken in morning sun light.
While the Herons are being busy an audience forms right below.
Might be the best seat in the house.
Note; the turtles are all looking up and watching. The Alligator is watching, me.
If the males arrive in a rookery too early there is a lot of waiting, and called, and waiting again.
If the weather suddenly gets cold females don’t feel the need to hurry.
Boys being boys they don’t get it. If my call doesn’t work, I’ll call louder.
Still nothing…
There is a spot in this swamp that Great Blue Herons can sit, gather nesting material, or just hide.
When here they can be missed since your attention is suddenly focused on the open water and rookery area in front of you.
The photographs there are best shot a little wide (for me a lot wide at times) to capture the thick trees, colors, and moss.
The beginning of mating season. A male Great Blue Heron calling for his mate.
Hearing this mournful sound, in the evening, makes this a special photograph to me.
I believe he was all dressed in his finest.
Yellow Slider (I think).
I was caught by surprise. The Spoonbill jumped and flew in the complete wrong direction.
Typically they fly right, or the opposite direction when leaving. Of course I was paying little attention and caught only one image.
