Great Blue

Great Blue

Heron that is!

Our herons are an ever present large bird on the Gulf Coast. 

They are also some of the biggest thieves and hunters, not to mention just plain fun to watch!

Great Blue herons are about 4.5 to 5.5 pounds and up to 4 1/2 feet!

I have seen them everywhere, on the beach, tidal pools, marshes, and ponds.

They are quite the parents, having 3 to 7 eggs. Both parents feed the babies and they are capable of flight at about 60 days. The fledglings leave the nest around day 65. Our Great Blues down here in the deep south can have up to 2 nesting seasons per year. 

I have photographed them in the Keys harassing fishermen. At the Gulf following a hook into the water or stealing the bait from the shore! I've gotten great shots of one eating a snake at Perdido key while vacationing. We even have some that hang around here in Fairhope at the pier. One in particular has taken to perching on the purple martin houses in the water, much to the consternation of the martins! Imagine a bird 4 1/2 times your size and so much heavier than you showing up on your roof. The martins go crazy flying around and harassing the giant bully. 

We also saw one in the duck pond area the other day, carefully walking and suddenly grabbing a tiny turtle from the water. 

We've also seen one here in the cooler months sunning himself in the afternoons. It had a strange way of holding it's wings, almost in a supplication of sorts to the sun warming his body. I hope to catch him in this pose later this year with a proper camera. We only had a cell phone and it just did not do the bird justice.

Another day, another photo, another bird!

Great Blue, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 6

Day 39 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2018