bluezzzzz Loc: Stamping Ground, KY

I've been photographing herons at our local park pond for many years, but on Friday a strange thing happened.

Took my usual kit of a Canon 5dMk4 and a white 100-400mm zoom lens with 1.4 TC. Dress is Kroger casual, L.L. Bean plaid shirt and a blue ball cap. I carry around a small blue and white lunch cooler that has a flat top I can sit on.

This pond has a small floating dock on one side with a 2x12 lumber bench along the long edge. I sat on my cooler on this bench to get a bit of height over the handrail, and as I sat there a Great Blue Heron flew in and landed on the opposite bank, probably 250 feet away.

GBHE_28Apr2023_067 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr


I noticed it was more active than usual and never settled down and that I was an area of interest. It flew the length of the pond several times, landed in different places, and one time walked on the bank behind me as I sat there.

GBHE_28Apr2023_044 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr


GBHE_28Apr2023_124 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr

This is breeding season for herons here in KY now, and I'm guessing that this one was either looking for a partner or looking to chase a rival off, and mistook me for a big bird all hunched up on that cooler with my long white lens pointed in its direction. LOL!

GBHE_28Apr2023_052 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr


In the past I've had a hard time getting head-on shots of a GBHE, usually flying away butt shots or at best a side profile. No problem on Friday, as it flew directly at me several times.

Those first four are un-cropped but since I clipped off both wings in this frame I decided to go ahead and crop in closer...

GBHE_28Apr2023_058 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr

I'm guessing this was a young one since it had no plume yet; and is looking to make this pond its territory. There was one here for years that people got to calling the "Old Man." Just hope they weren't referring to me!

Marshall

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

You took advantage of the odd behavior! That makes good wildlife photographers! Great job!!

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Nice work Marshall.

Don

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Nicely done set

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Nice!

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Fantastic set!!!

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

A fine set.

JeffinMass Loc: MA

I love the bottom image. Just photographed GBHs at a rookery with approx 28 nests. It must have been as awesome experience for you as it was for me.

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

Nice shots Marshall.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Really a spectacular sequence 🤍💙🎯💙🤍

Bubalola Loc: Big Apple, NY

bluezzzzz Loc: Stamping Ground, KY

Thanks all for your interest and positive comments!

JeffinMass, I envy your experience of the rookery! Shakertown in Harrodsburg, KY, used to have an arrangement with a small private excursion riverboat that would dock at Shaker Landing for a yearly trip through the Kentucky River Palisades to a Great Blue Heron rookery. Unfortunately, Shakertown hasn't renewed the contract for the last several years and I really miss that trip...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78687170@N00/albums/72157629983694765


Marshall

topcat Loc: Alameda, CA

Very nice set.

hettmoe Loc: Rural ND

Very nice!