When I first got interested in photographing birds, Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) were one of my favorites. They were large, easy to find, and cooperative subjects. Rather than fly away when they sensed my presence, they would often remain in place. That tendency, I learned, was both a blessing and a curse. It is easier to photograph a bird when it is stationary, but eventually I wanted to capture action and Great Blue Herons, I learned, have endless patience—they can stay motionless for a really long time before they strike, often longer than I was willing to wait.
I still love to see Great Blue Herons and spotted this one earlier this month during a trip to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The heron seemed restless and was slowly slogging its way through the vegetation. Perhaps it was hunting or maybe it was just relocating to another spot. In any case, it was wonderful to see and photograph one of my old familiar favorites.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
I loved seeing these guys in the park I visited on my way to work, Mike. These are great photos. You know me, I love the one with the reflection. Nicely done!
Very Nice Mike! I found you get better luck with Great Blue Herons when they are in a smaller pond or lake. Plus they are closer to you so they are larger in the frame.
Beautiful
These are beautiful birds. Last summer my wife and I kayaked in a shallow part of Table Rock Lake and came across one of these Blue Herons. It seemed totally unaffected by our presence, focused on the minnows below, and had a successful lunch about 10 feet away from us. It was a beautiful moment. Thanks for sharing your photos.
Hard to find them out in the open here in California. I keep trying.
” … Great Blue Herons, I learned, have endless patience … ”
So true.
The unspoken corollary to that statement is “and my patience is quite limited by comparison.” 🙂
Great captures of the GBH in the vegetation, Mike. It’s interesting how they will often walk from Point A to Point B instead of flying, even when they don’t appear to be hunting.
It is hard to explain why bird choose to walk like that instead of flying. I seem to recall a recent posting from you or from Ted noting the same behavior, though it might well have been a different species of bird.
🙂 I do think I’ve seen many of the wading birds do it. I expect our thoughts on trying to figure out their behavior may miss a few things obvious to the bird!!
I think he does look like a bird on a mission… there’s a sense of purpose in his stride, it seems. I agree with your sentiments about their patience; sometimes I’m ready to move on well before they do anything dramatic.
You and I have similar experiences–the heron’s patience often exceeds my own.
These birds are so elegant. Whether standing, stalking, just walking, or flying, they seem like ballet dancers, thinking about getting into the next pose.
I agree with you, Gary, though for me, it is usually the Great Egret that comes to mind when I think of elegance. I remember thinking that it was unfair that there was a ballet called Swan Lake, and not one called Egret Pond.