immature great blue heron

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By The BIG One …
The BIG one doesn’t always get away …
this immature great blue heron caught this fish 
at the Jordan Lake Dam in the fog early this morning.
I didn’t get to see if he managed to swallow the fish.
The heron headed for the far bank and I lost him in the shadows.

By Great Blue Heron Youngsters Argue
One section of the riprap at the Jordan Lake dam erupted this morning in gronks and growls and squeals.
Two immature great blue herons were trying to claim a section of shoreline for themselves.
Notice that as the flight continues, the birds’ necks get longer and longer.
Normal flight for great blue herons is with the neck folded back into their shoulders.
The heron with the most elongated neck is proving that he is better than the other.
One of the youngsters actually ends up having to fold his neck back up and drag his toes to maintain flight.
PS: the green and red smudges near the end are leaf fringes that I am shooting through.

By odd couple

IMG_1935 odd couple 2014

The killdeer watches to the left, the great blue heron watches to the right. Not matched in size but certainly in alertness.