Reader Stephen Barnard sends two lovely photos of a great blue heron (Ardea herodias) from Idaho. Click to enlarge:
Readers’ wildlife photographs
June 29, 2014 • 5:01 am
Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
Thanks for posting this Jerry, and thank you Stephen for the photographs of my absolute favorite bird.
Herons look so much like pterodactyls when they fly.
I also remember seeing one that came back early one winter who was looking at the ice on the stream with utter disappointment.
Just how old are you? 🙂
Just how old are you? 🙂
Shhhhh or I’ll have to move again.
It took me a minute, but now that I get your response, well done…that’s funny.
I’d appreciate it if she’d tell her yang to stop tossing whales.
It’s downright irresponsible.
I worked at an observatory out in a lake that would freeze in the winter. Because it was spring fed and did note freeze solid there were many cracks, holes and bits of open water. The Great Blue Herons would stand on the ice for hours waiting for a passing fish to spear. And then sometimes a Golden or Bald Eagle would show up to contest the catch of the day. The herons often won.
I saw a blue heron just yesterday, flying to my left exactly like that! It would be a sign if I had the sensus divinitatus to understand it.
Or a glitch in the Matrix.
That must be it!
More exquisite photography — he could create a lovely 2015 nature calendar (2016, 2017 ….)!
… or a gorgeous coffee-table-style nature book!
Beautiful shots Stephen, thanks.