A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is so big that it’s difficult to imagine one hiding itself effectively. Yet when this heron settled in among the branches of a tree, I was amazed to see how well it blended in with its surroundings. The heron was so effectively camouflaged that others who walked by did not even notice this large bird until I pointed it out to them and some of them still had difficulty picking it out.
As some of you have undoubtedly noticed, I love alliteration. I somehow can’t smile when I pronounce the title I chose for this posting. It somehow brings to mind one of the scenes in “My Fair Lady,” with the phrase, “In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly happen” repeated as Professor Higgins, Colonel Pickering, and Eliza sing “The Rain in Spain.” (Here’s a link to the YouTube film clip of this scene.)
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
That is amazingly hidden and well worthy of alliteration which I heartily enjoy as well but you knew that.
A wonderful use of alliteration, and a pretty spectacular photo.
Thanks, Charlie. Alliteration seems to come naturally to me (along with bad puns).
He was well hidden! A coworker told me that he saw a heron eating a chipmunk the other day.
Yikes–a chipmunk! I guess Blue Herons will eat almost anything if they are hungry enough.
This is a great photo! You could really use it in a science textbook as an illustration of camouflage!
Thanks so much. I am always amazed at how well many bird, animal, and insect species can camouflage themselves or otherwise blend in with their surroundings. For many of them, it’s probably a matter of survival.