Encounter with a Great Blue Heron

Mark Valentine

While taking a walk in Eudora, Kansas, I came across a visitor the likes of which I've never seen in our small town. The bird in these images was identified as a great blue heron (Ardea herodias) by my co-worker, Andrea Harden, who then suggested the following web site: http://mdc.mo.gov/kids/out-in/2005/08/2.htm

What soon became apparent was the bird's ability to camouflage itself, which seemed to be a combination of its color scheme and its ability to remain perfectly still while surrounded by frantic activity.

Figure 1 shows the bird in a slightly stooped position from about 4.5 meters (15 feet). As I drew closer, the bird retreated deeper into the vegetation with a short, graceful flight, as shown in Fig. 2.  After that it blended in with its surroundings and became virtually invisible.

Both photographs were made with an HP Photosmart 812 digital camera on 10 October 2005.

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