Great Blue Heron

Click here for prints

Coby and I were on our early morning walk today and I was hoping to get some photos of the full moon hanging out over Eagle Rock (my name for the rock outcropping where a Golden Eagle occasionally perches), but it was busy hiding behind some clouds. As we sat down on a log to rest and munch on a snack of trail mix and cheese, I noticed this Great Blue Heron standing in the shallow water about 30 feet away. I tied Coby up to a post and slowly walked down to water’s edge and lay down on my stomach so I could snap some photos af the bird at eye level.

This large, majestic bird is common to the shallow shore waters of the San Francisco Bay Area. It can also be found in the Caribbean and the Galapagos Islands. This stately heron with its subtle blue-gray plumage often stands motionless (see photo above) as it scans for prey or wades belly deep with long, deliberate steps.

Interesting fact
Great Blue Herons have specialized feathers on their chest that continually grow and fray. The herons comb this “powder down” with a fringed claw on their middle toes, using the down like a washcloth to remove fish slime and other oils from their feathers as they preen. Applying the powder to their underparts protects their feathers against the slime and oils of swamps.

Coby