great blue heron

Tag

By Feathers and Fur

Jordan Lake Dam, Haw River: I was tracking the great blue heron, hoping it would cross in front of the trees with their fresh light green leaves and give me a nicely composed landscape photo. The heron obliged me and did just that. But, when I got home I found that another critter had managed to get photographed too! Have you found the squirrel yet?

By Fish Locating Antennae?

Jordan Lake Dam, Haw River: sometimes Mother Nature makes me heartedly laugh! This great blue heron appears to have special antennae just for locating fish. But joyful laugher aside, the plumes are there because it is the start of breeding season and he has put on his finery. The season is also why his chest plumes are so extravagant. The wind tossed those special feathers every which way. Those plumes almost caused the extinction of herons and egrets in this country: back when ladies wore elaborate hats and wanted those feathers to add to their perceived finery.

By Oh! Ouch! But, Good News!

Jordan Lake: On June 5, 2020, Captain Doug and I, while out on Jordan Lake, came across a great blue heron.  He had somehow peeled his face from the corner of his beak to just in front of his eye.  We both wondered if he would be able to heal.  Captain Doug kept an eye out for the heron as the weeks went by, but didn’t see him.  Then on September 16, 15 weeks later, we found the great blue heron.  Eye still bright.  Skin scarred around the eye and pulling it into an oval, but the bird looked just fine.  Does have a very distinct look.  Whew!!!

By Feathered Kinetic Energy

Jordan Lake, Haw River: Feathered Kinetic Energy smoothly surges from the toes through to the sharp beak as this great blue heron launches and displays that energy that is possessed by a body because of its motion. The physics of kinetic energy explained by a single bird.