Late Summer Great Blue Heron

I’ve photographed Great Blue Herons in Florida, Oklahoma, Virginia, Montana, Idaho, Utah, and beyond. I have photographed them on the Gulf Coast, on the shores of the hypersaline Great Salt Lake, near alpine creeks, rivers, streams, swamps, ponds, fresh and saltwater marshes, sloughs, and wetlands. I’ve even taken photos of them in desert ranchlands and high in the mountains. Plus, I’ve photographed them close to home in urban settings.

I have taken images of Great Blue Herons in soft morning light, evening light, heavy fog, thick snow, backlit, sidelit, and in 35-knot winds with the Belt of Venus and the Earth Shadow behind them. I’ve photographed them in temperatures well below freezing and in temps over 100°F.

My cameras have focused on these herons hunting, fishing, resting, courting, coughing up pellets, eating, displaying, flying, landing, fighting, nesting and more. I’ve photographed both adult and immature Great Blue Herons.

Over the years, I have been blessed to have Great Blue Herons in my viewfinder thousands upon thousands of times. Despite the fact that Great Blue Herons are abundant and found in many different habitats, I still get excited when I can find and photograph them.

Great Blue Herons in my viewfinder bring me joy. They get my heart pumping. I suspect that they always will. Every freaking time.