Closeup Great Blue Heron

Guess what happened while I was looking for ducks? I found this guy! There is a place where ducks like to hang out because no humans are around. It's the same hidden place I discovered and showed you last week. I always stop above there and look for the ducks. This time I found a Great Blue Heron!

I happened to be looking down there and daydreaming about going back down myself, but I saw that it was kind of flooded this time. I remembered reading that herons were in my area this time of year. Then it appeared as if by magic!

Now you may think by looking at the pictures that I'm pretty close to this big bird, but it's all camera tricks. I was actually so far away that I could barely see it with my own eyes. The camera was able to pick it up just fine though. I'm glad the camera has a long distance eye.

These are actually some of my best pictures of a heron I've ever had. I've gotten several pictures from sightings of these birds in the past, and the birds were even closer, but these new ones came out the best. Herons really blend in with their background very well.

 The odd thing was that while I was watching the heron it saw me up there watching it. These birds are obviously very shy creatures, at least around here, because it shouldn't have known I was there. I caught it looking at me nervously, and then it began wading away from me. I didn't know the water was that shallow there.

 Here above is a good illustration of how far away the bird truly was. Beyond those trees in that far body of water is where the bird is. You cannot see it unless you enlarge the picture. Even then it is only a white speck. That's what I saw. You'd think it would not have seen me at that distance and with the trees in the way.

 I was able to get a few more pictures from another place as the heron walked away from me. It couldn't escape so easily. Ha ha ha!  I even got a few ducks in one picture, but I don't have that one here because these are better.

I ended up deciding I had enough of these long distance pictures, so I moved on my way to my next destination. Seeing a bird like this always makes it a good day.


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