HERONS
Herons are beautiful birds from any of about 60 species of long-legged wading birds, classified in the family Ardeidae, as are egrets. Herons are widely distributed over the world but are most common in the tropics although I find them plentiful right here in Colorado, particularly the statuesque Great Blue Heron along with the more mysterious Black-Crowned Night Heron. They usually feed while wading quietly in the shallow waters of pools, marshes, and swamps, catching frogs, fishes, and other aquatic animals. They are one of my favorite birds to photograph and seem to be very easy-going, getting along with most other bird species.
To see larger-sized images of these photographs, click here to go to my Heron Gallery, then click on any image to expand the photograph.
herons Posing
All of the herons shown below with one exception are Great Blue Herons, which are relatively common in Colorado. They have amazing texture in their feathers that I often zoom in on for a more abstract photo. Herons commonly stand with the neck bent in an S shape but once a noise or sight of a fish caches their attention they will stick their long necks out into a straight line. The one exception is the smaller Black-Crowned Night Heron.
Below are some of my favorite shots of herons in various standing poses.
Great Blue Heron walking in water during Golden Hour
Great Blue Heron with two mallards during Golden Hour
Great Blue Heron standing on log in lagoon
Great Blue Heron standing in lagoon by snow at dusk
A solitary Great Blue Heron stands at the edge of ice and water
Great Blue Heron wades in the water of fall reflections
Close-up “head shot” of Great Blue Heron in front of tall reeds
Great Blue Heron stands in water during the last light of the day
Black-crowned Night Heron standing on rock in the S. Platte River
Four Great Blue Herons standing in a tree in S. Platte Park in Colorado
Heron Silhouettes
Great Blue Herons make for especially moving silhouettes as these photos below show.
Great Blue Heron heads to its roost for hte night at sunset
Four Great Blue Herons in a tree silhouetted at dusk
Herons in Flight
Herons fly with the legs trailing loosely and the head held back against the body, instead of stretching the neck out in front as most birds do.
Great Blue Heron in flight on an overcast day
Great Blue Heron in flight over the fall-reflected colors in a lake
Great Blue Heron flying over lagoon during golden hour in South Platte Park in Colorado
Great Blue Heron glides across lagoon with orange foliage reflection and snow in South Platte Park in Colorado
Great Blue heron flying low over lagoon during winter in South Plate Park in Colorado
Same Black-crowned Night Heron flying over the South Platte River in Colorado
Black-crowned Night Heron flies over the South Platte River in Colorado
Great Blue Heron about to land during the very last light of the day in South Platte Park in Colorado
herons fishing
Herons can stand for great lengths staring into water, patiently awaiting their opportunity to catch a fish. They catch both very small fish and in one sequence below, fish that seem to be half their size.! Below are some sequences of a Great Blue Heron successfully catching a fish.
Great Blue Heron caught a fish with fall-reflected colors in the lake
sequence #1
Shot #1 - Great Blue Heron in S. Platte park in Colorado sticks his neck into his fish trap to find a fish
Shot #2 - Great Blue Heron successfully catches a good-sized fish, likely a carp
Shot #3 - Great Blue Heron begins to slide the fish down its bill into its throat
Shot #4 - Great Blue Heron almost has the fish all the way down its throat
sequence #2
Shot #1 - Great Blue Heron sticks its head into the water after it spots a fish
Shot #2 - Great Blue Heron holds a small fish in its bill just before eating it
Shot #3 - Close-up of Great Blue Heron holding a small fish in its bill just before eating it
sequence #3
Shot #1 - Great Blue Heron catches a large fish with its bill
Shot #2 - Great Blue Heron holds large fish, likely a carp, in its bill
Shot #3 - Great Blue Heron maneuvers a large fish it caught in its bill
Shot #4 - Great Blue Heron turns sideways to show off the large fish in its bill!
Shot #5 - Great Blue Heron walks over the shore with the large fish in tis bill before consuming it
Heron with Gulls
A Great Blue Heron in Bufflehead Lagoon in S. Platte Park catches fish with ring-billed gulls waiting for rejected scraps!
Sequence of flight of great blue heron
herons-Miscellaneous
Black-Crowned Night Heron seems to be protecting this female wood duck on land
Abstract image of the gorgeous feather texture of the Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron being “mobbed” by a crow
Gallery
To see the full photo gallery of herons, click here.