 | I’m a very common bird of marshes and swamps. You’ll often see me standing still, stalking my food. Watch me when I catch a fish. I’m fun to watch as I throw my head back and swallow my fish whole. Most Likely Found: At the beach, In the marsh When: Year-Round Where I've photographed: Callaway Gardens, Circle B Bar Reserve, Fort De Soto, Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge, Oakland Nature Preserve, Polk Rookery, Viera Wetlands Read more: Great Blue Heron at Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ebird: Great Blue Heron eBird range |
I have written 96 posts including a photo of a Great Blue Heron
February 1, 2014 - A couple of weekends ago I visited the wetlands to check on the Great Blue Herons.... The last time I went to Viera, one pair of Great Blue Herons seemed to be the most active.... So I timed my next visit to be about four weeks later, because the incubation…... Read more
January 12, 2014 - I heard the baby Great Blue Heron on his nest before I saw him.... Read more
January 8, 2014 - The Great Blue Herons are the first of the large wading birds to begin nesting.... A fun place to photograph nesting Great Blue Herons is the Viera Wetlands.... The Great Blue Herons nest in the tops of these trees.... Read more
April 8, 2013 - A couple of Great Blue Herons have fledged already, and my favorites, the Roseate Spoonbills, had several nests.... The Great Blue Herons nest earlier than anybody, sometimes starting nest construction as early as November and December.... Read more
November 7, 2012 - I photographed this Great Blue Heron in awesome morning light at the Circle B Bar Reserve back in May.... Read more
June 1, 2012 - I had to laugh as a Great Blue Heron strutted his stuff...and then got very cautious as a small gator swam by him.... Read more
May 21, 2012 - This Great Blue Heron was so pretty in the pre-dawn light.... Read more
May 9, 2012 - I had fun photographing the sunrise on the morning that I went to Fort De Soto to look for migrants. When I arrived at the East Beach turnaround, the sun was just beginning to peek out from over the horizon. I spotted a Great Blue Heron near me, so I…... Read more
April 16, 2012 - So instead I photographed the Great Blue Heron fledglings, who are still loafing around in their treetop nests. They are big enough to try to fly, but young enough still to start that incessant little "feed me!... feed me!" cry whenever an adult heron flies by. I guess it's their…... Read more
March 9, 2012 - Last weekend at Viera Wetlands I had a good time watching some Great Blue Heron nests. This first nest had two small chicks, and the parents were being careful to keep the nest built up well around their young offspring. One particularly long stick was rather problematic. It was so…... Read more
March 5, 2012 - We'll conclude the "Lord of the Rings"-inspired post titles with the "Return of the Spring"...and of the Beast to Viera Wetlands! The weather for Saturday morning was iffy at best, with fog and wind in the forecast. I decided to head to Viera, figuring that the nesting Great Blue Herons…... Read more
March 3, 2012 - I didn't hike all the way up Marsh Rabbit Run after spending some time watching the cranes. Instead I doubled back and hiked the Alligator Alley trail. There's a spot along that trail where the trail bends away from the marsh towards the lake. That little corner is what I…... Read more
January 24, 2012 - On my last day of Christmas break, Dyeyo and I went to Viera Wetlands. The highlight of the morning were a couple of nesting pairs of Great Blue Herons. They brought sticks in to their nests, gave us courtship shots, and then initiated the egg-making process.... Read more
January 7, 2012 - Plenty of Great Blue Herons were fishing for their breakfasts.... Bird Species List (31 total): American Coot, American White Pelican, Anhinga, Belted Kingfisher, Black-Bellied Whistling Duck, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Blue-Winged Teal, Boat-tailed Grackle, Brown Pelican, Caspian Tern, Common Gallinule, Eastern Phoebe (heard), Gadwall, Glossy Ibis, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Greater…... Read more
December 5, 2011 - Then a Great Blue Heron flew in with a frog!... Read more
October 30, 2011 - Further down on Wading Bird Way, a Great Blue Heron caught a fish.... Bird Species List (33 total): American Coot, American Kestrel, Anhinga, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Black-Bellied Whistling Duck, Blue Jay, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Boat-tailed Grackle, Common Gallinule, Double-Crested Cormorant, Eastern Phoebe, Glossy Ibis, Gray Catbird, Great Blue Heron, Great…... Read more
September 12, 2011 - Bird Species List (33 total): Anhinga, Bald Eagle, Barn Swallow, Black Vulture, Black-Bellied Whistling Duck, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Blue Jay, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Caspian Tern, Common Moorhen, Double-Crested Cormorant, Grackle sp., Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Killdeer (heard), Least Sandpiper, Limpkin, Little Blue Heron, Mourning Dove, Northern Cardinal, Northern Parula, Osprey,…... Read more
August 5, 2011 - A Great Blue Heron also posed on a post. He looked pretty silly with his wings spread out. He wanted to say "hi" to all the blog readers!... Bird Species List (21 total): American Coot, Anhinga, Black-Bellied Whistling Duck, Boat-tailed Grackle, Common Moorhen, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Killdeer, Limpkin,…... Read more
July 10, 2011 - It seems appropriate, in a circularly twisted way, to post a picture of the only Great Blue Heron fledgling today, on our last visit. Typically the Great Blue Herons are the first to nest at the rookery, arriving in December. The rest of the birds don't show up till February-March-ish. …... Read more
May 22, 2011 - It was hot this morning! We arrived at the Circle B Bar Reserve at 7:00 and hiked the Alligator Alley trail loop. This Great Blue Heron was trying to cool himself with the funky wing position – he wasn't the only one who was hot!... Great Blue Heron We checked…... Read more
April 17, 2011 - Cattle Egret A Roseate Spoonbill flew past. We saw a total of three this morning (or maybe it was the same bird that moved around as much as we did?) Roseate Spoonbill Then we started crossing the cells diagonally and found a bunch of photographers watching a Great Egret nest. …... Read more
April 15, 2011 - Baby Red-Shouldered Hawks https://vimeo.com/338670632 Andrew also told me where to find a Great Blue Heron nest in a clump of trees behind the hawk's nest. It's a little late for these birds to begin nesting.... Great Blue Heron nest Around the nesting area I ran into Daytripper3 from the Circle…... Read more
March 26, 2011 - When we finally moved on, we continued to see Great Blue Herons left and right. This one posed nicely on an open branch, with good frontal lighting. We also saw Limpkins, Glossy and White Ibises, even a pair of Bald Eagles off in the distance.... Great Blue Heron Some of…... Read more
March 20, 2011 - Augustine Alligator Farm Rookery, this one is totally wild. There were hundreds of birds there, most of them sporting their breeding plumages. We saw Great Egrets, Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, Black-Crowned Night Herons, White Ibises, Great Blue Herons, Snowy Egrets, Tricolored Herons, Little Blue Herons, Brown Pelicans, Double-Crested Cormorants, Anhingas,…... Read more
March 11, 2011 - Anhinga A Great Blue Heron flew in, circling around a couple of times and giving me a chance to get focused on him. How nice of him!... Great Blue Heron As I admired the setting sun, a juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron flew in and posed on a post for me. …... Read more
March 4, 2011 - So here's a Great Blue Heron flying in the sunrise...no HDR!... Great Blue Heron at Sunrise As I stood on the dock photographing, I heard the call of two eagles. I looked up and saw these two juvenile Bald Eagles in a tree overhead. The top one is kind of…... Read more
February 20, 2011 - American Goldfinch You would think I'd get bored with taking pictures of Great Blue Herons, my favorite "fisherbirds" that can be found year-round at Circle B.... Great Blue Heron I heard a "meooow!... King Rail Species List: American Bittern, American Coot, American Goldfinch, American Robin, Anhinga, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher,…... Read more
January 30, 2011 - Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher We've been noticing more Great Blue Herons (a.k.a.... Great Blue Heron A pair of Red-Bellied Woodpeckers landed on the same tree near the lake.... "See you next weekend!" Swamp Sparrow Species List: American Bittern, American Coot, American Goldfinch , American Robin, American White Pelican, American Wigeon, Anhinga, Bald…... Read more
January 29, 2011 - Wilson's Snipe A Great Blue Heron landed nearby.... (fine by me...) Great Blue Heron I never get tired of photographing the little Blue-Winged Teals that swim in the canals right next to the trail.... Limpkin with turtle https://vimeo.com/341231745 On Wading Bird Way, Dyeyo and I watched a Great Blue Heron…... Read more
January 22, 2011 - Obstinate Osprey As the Alligator Alley trail curved around away from the lake, I noticed a couple of Great Blue Herons (a.k.a.... Great Blue Heron in Breeding Plumage A Snowy Egret couldn't be outdone by a fisherbird, so he flew in and posed with his feathers all puffed up.... River…... Read more
January 9, 2011 - Eagle and Osprey Fish Fight I enjoyed the quick focus of the 500mm when I spotted a Great Blue Heron taking off. I was able to focus and photograph as the bird approached, with the bird filling the frame, illuminated by the sunrise light. I love the detail on every…... Read more
December 27, 2010 - Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher I used my 500mm lens plus my 1.4x teleconverter today. With my 7D body, that makes an effective focal length of 1120mm!! I didn't have any trouble locating birds with just the 500mm, since I'm using to using my 400mm plus my 1.4x teleconverter. But when I added…... Read more
December 20, 2010 - Black Vulture A Great Blue Heron let me walk right up to him. He was so intent on watching for fish that he could have cared less that I was there. I went past him, looked back, and he gave me a big yawn...... Great Blue Heron Eastern Phoebes were…... Read more
November 22, 2010 - The first "big bird" to greet us was this Great Blue Heron, perched uncharacteristically in the top of a twiggy tree.... Great Blue Heron The Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks whistled a sweet hello as we passed their new hangout midway up the Marsh Rabbit Run trail.... Plane Species list: Anhinga, American…... Read more
November 12, 2010 - Greater Yellowlegs A Great Blue Heron caught a catfish, then spent about 15 minutes parading it around in front of all the other birds.... Great Blue Heron A small flock of Least Sandpipers flew in and joined the party.... Species list: Anhinga, American Coot, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Black-Bellied Whistling…... Read more
September 12, 2010 - Here was my best Tricolored shot: Tricolored Heron I walked up quietly to a Great Blue Heron (a.k.a.... Great Blue Heron in flight I noticed several small groups (two and three birds) of Tree Swallows.... Species list: Anhinga, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-Bellied Whistling Duck, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Boat-Tailed…... Read more
June 13, 2010 - Black-Necked Stilt Another poser on Wading Bird Way was this juvenile Little Blue Heron. I wonder if he's the same bird who posed for us there last week? There have been an increased number of Little Blues all around the marshes in the past few weeks. I certainly see more…... Read more
May 31, 2010 - Eastern Meadowlark feeding On Wading Bird Way, the "regulars" (the Anhingas and Great Blue Herons) were out fishing.... Great Blue Heron By 8:00 or so, we had made our way to Marsh Rabbit Run, where the cormorants and other birds that had covered the trees at down had already made…... Read more
May 29, 2010 - Most of the shots were not great, but I really liked the butterfly position and the bokeh of this picture: Viceroy butterfly If I focused a bit farther away from the butterfly, I could watch this Great Blue Heron fishing for his breakfast.... Great Blue Heron There were dragonflies everywhere!... Read more
April 3, 2010 - Tricolored heron You can't go to Circle B without seeing at least one great blue heron. So here is today's flying bird of the day: Great Blue Heron We were surprised not to see any warblers, or blue-gray gnatcatchers, or common yellowthroats. I guess they've already started to migrate back…... Read more
November 8, 2009 - Great blue heron There were tons of white ibises around, and tons of wood storks.... Read more
June 5, 2009 - Ruby-throated hummingbird Painted lady butterfly Male Bluebird Female bluebird Blue Grosbeak House finches Eastern phoebe Great Blue Heron Female Summer Tanager Eastern Towhee Daddy and Baby Canadian Goose family Canadian Goose babies Brown thrasher Song Sparrow Giant Swallowtail Discovery Center Discovery Center birdfeeders Hummingbird garden Great blue heron reflection... Read more
June 26, 2008 - Blue-Headed Vireo Gray Catbird Red-bellied Woodpecker Great Blue Heron Nest ... Read more
January 13, 2008 - Birds Seen Today - Painted Bunting, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Pine Warbler, Palm Warbler, Black and White Warbler, American Kestrel, Red-Shouldered Hawk, Gray Catbird, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Pheobe, Osprey, Blue Jay, Cardinal, Red-Wing Blackbird Red-Shouldered Hawk Great Blue Heron Yellow-Rumped Warbler Yellow-Throated Warbler Downy…... Read more
