When I was walking around Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge on Sunday, I stopped to photograph a foraging Great Blue Heron at Sally Jones Lake. The view was calming.
Great Blue Heron on Sally Jones Lake – Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1/500, ISO 2000, -1.0 EV, Canon 100-500mm at 500mm, natural light
And green. Oh, so green. The green from the leaves of the nearby trees reflected on the water. Everything felt alive and vibrant.
The Great Blue Heron is small in the frame, but this image isn’t just about the bird. I have plenty of close-up images of these herons, including portraits of this amazing wading bird species.
No, these photos are about habitat too—wonderful, rich green habitat.
Great Blue Heron foraging on Sally Jones Lake – Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1/500, ISO 2000, -0.7 EV, Canon 100-500mm at 238mm, natural light
It was hot when I took these images, but the view made me feel cooler. The wind rustled the leaves, and I could hear them along with the calls and songs of the birds in the area.
The distant heron paid no attention to me; it simply continued foraging in the lake at the edge of the vegetation.
Great Blue Herons can be found in varied habitats across North America, except for the driest locations. I appreciate being able to photograph them anywhere I find these herons: from city parks to coastal shorelines, mountain streams, southern swamps, rivers, and lakes. In Utah, I saw them year-round, but in colder areas, they can be migratory.
At Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, I’ve seen them on the Arkansas River, Sally Jones Lake, and at the numerous sloughs on the refuge. Great Blue Herons continue to amaze and fascinate me.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Great Blue Heron photos plus facts and information about this species. Click here to see more photos of Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.
Marvelous pics of the environment and, for me, the GBH seems to fill the frame. Thanks Mia.
The lake is beautiful and the GBH is the perfect focal point.
Beautiful.