Building our Nest Photograph by Dawn Currie

Building our Nest

by Dawn Currie

Canvas Print

Framed Print

Art Print

Poster

Metal Print

Acrylic Print

Wood Print

Greeting Card

Title

Building our Nest

Artist

Dawn Currie

Medium

Photograph - Digital

Description

Photographic artwork by Dawn Currie. I was captivated by this Great Blue Heron gathering sticks and delivering them to it's mate building their nest on top of a nearby palm tree.

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Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias): Whether poised at a river bend or cruising the coastline with slow, deep wing beats, the Great Blue Heron is a majestic sight. This stately heron with its subtle blue-gray plumage often stands motionless as it scans for prey or wades belly deep with long, deliberate steps. They may move slowly, but Great Blue Herons can strike like lightning to grab a fish or other prey. Thanks to specially shaped neck vertebrae, Great Blue Herons can curl their neck into an S shape for a more aerodynamic flight profile and to quickly strike prey at a distance.

Despite their impressive size, Great Blue Herons weigh only 5 to 6 pounds thanks in part to their hollow bones, a feature all birds share. The oldest Great Blue Heron, based on banding recovery, was 24 years old.

Look for Great Blue Herons in saltwater and freshwater habitats, from open coasts, marshes, sloughs, riverbanks, and lakes to backyard goldfish ponds. They also forage in grasslands and agricultural fields.

They are common throughout Florida. My favorite spots for observing and photographing Great Blue Herons include the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Viera Florida, Sebastian Inlet State Park, and Gatorland in Orlando Florida. Many birders and birdwatchers refer to these magnificent birds simply by their initials - GBH.