Most of the times when I see a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), it is in the open water patiently waiting to catch a fish. This past Thursday, however, I initially had trouble spotting this heron—it was hunkered down among the trees at the edge of the water of a small suburban pond, probably seeking shelter on a cold and windy day. I moved close enough to get some shots and then silently moved away, being careful not to disturb the heron and force it to move from its carefully chosen spot.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Really beautiful photo Mike.
Thanks, Liz. The image is the kind of environmental shot that I love to be able to capture, giving a sense of the place without detracting from the major subject.
Great shot! Subtle color is very pleasing to the eye.
Thanks, Michael. I know that you are very attuned to color and I generally make a conscious effort to dial back the color a little to avoid the over-saturated look that some photographers seem to overuse, in my humble opinion.
It works very nicely.
Nice capture, and great you could get this and not bother the bird.
Thanks, Ted. I try to be as stealthy as I can when getting shots of birds, but most often their senses are so much better than mine that they detect me before I can get close enough for a shot. In this case, the heron might have been aware of my presence, but was comfortable enough that it did not want to move.
How well I know that problem LOL
Lovely image Mike, well spotted.
Thanks. Once I had spotted the heron, I could work to get a clear shot, but it was so well hidden that I had walked past it doing my first circuit around the pond without realizing that it was there.
Pretty cool picture!
Thanks, I was happy to spot the almost hidden heron. (I was able to get an unobstructed view of the heron once I spotted it, but many other people had walked by it without realizing that it was there.
Very nice. Mike. I won’t see another for 6 or so months.
Although our Great Egrets and Green Herons go south for the winter, the Great Blue Herons stay with us. I think that there is enough open water that they can survive, even when it gets cold and some of the smaller ponds and streams freeze over.
Although I’ve not seen them there, Great Blue Herons, some at least, do hang around the coast and salt water marshes in the northeast.
Very nice with the red leaves sprinkled around.
Thanks, Ellen. The leaves help to give a sense of the environment and the time of the year. I keep reminding myself how important those elements are for shots and that getting super close is not always necessary or desirable.
That is my feeling as well, Mike. Those elements are telling the story beyond the bird, or other creature.
Great shot
Thanks. I love photographing birds whenever I can. As we move into winter, it can be hard to find them, but the challenge is part of the fun.
I understand. Please do keep up the good work. For the love of the birds!!
With a skilled eye and grateful timing, your results are that of a master.
I love seeing these guys, Mike. This is a great shot.
Thanks, Dan. I see Great Blue Herons pretty frequently, but it has been a while since I got a decent shot of one.
I don’t see them very often but it’s a treat when I do.
He’s a beauty. Love the background, too.
Nice Mike! It is interesting how they can “hunker” down. They are fun to photograph!