Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

The herons are medium- to large-sized birds with long legs and necks. They exhibit very little sexual dimorphism in size. The smallest species is usually considered the little bittern, which can measure under 30 cm (12 in) in length, although all the species in the genus Ixobrychus are small and many broadly overlap in size. The largest species of heron is the goliath heron, which stands up to 152 cm (60 in) tall. The necks are able to kink in an S-shape, due to the modified shape of the cervical vertebrae, of which they have 20–21. The neck is able to retract and extend, and is retracted during flight, unlike most other long-necked birds. The neck is longer in the day herons than the night herons and bitterns. The legs are long and strong and in almost every species are un-feathered from the lower part of the tibia (the exception is the zigzag heron). In flight, the legs and feet are held backward. The feet of herons have long, thin toes, with three forward-pointing ones and one pointing backward. The bill is generally long and harpoon-like. It can vary from extremely fine, as in the agami heron, to thick as in the grey heron. The most atypical bill is owned by the boat-billed heron, which has a broad, thick bill. The bill, as well as other bare parts of the body, is usually yellow, black, or brown in colour, although this can vary during the breeding season. The wings are broad and long, exhibiting 10 or 11 primary feathers (the boat-billed heron has only nine), 15–20 secondaries. and 12 rectrices (10 in the bitterns). The feathers of the herons are soft and the plumage is usually blue, black, brown, grey, or white, and can often be strikingly complex. Amongst the day herons, little sexual dimorphism in plumage is seen (except in the pond-herons); differences between the sexes are the rule for the night herons and smaller bitterns. Many species also have different color morphs. In the Pacific reef heron, both dark and light color morphs exist, and the percentage of each morph varies geographically.

bluezzzzz Loc: Stamping Ground, KY

Well, grandpaw, all those exchanges were sure interesting! We've got green herons here in KY, too, but they haven't shown up yet this year. When they shoot that neck out they look like a completely different bird!

Here's one of mine from 2016, be sure to turn up your sound for the drumroll! lol!

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Like that one, Blue ….

Neat pic!

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

Very nice

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Blue … I didn't hear any drum roll … was I supposed to?

Or, did you just mean - the drum the Green Heron was on, was about to roll, from its weight?

If so ... very funny!!!!

Swamp-Cork Loc: Lanexa, Virginia

Beautiful download!