cranky old dude

Today during a short jaunt over to Durand Eastman Park I spied an elusive treasure along the shores of Lake Eastman.





As I moved through the trees to get closer to the shoreline I spied this...



Finally down a bit closer to the bird, the different angle of the light makes it quite obvious why they call this guy The Great Blue Heron.



So, another ride...another treasure, only this treasure I took home as a memory.

cyclinfool

Nice pics Lenny. I saw one of those guys last week in the Dacks. As for the third picture - really shows that you are just a "fun guy".

stringbreaker

A Blue Heron if full flight is a sight to behold. They look pretty awkard when taking off but once airborne just stretching it out, absolutely beautiful.

MWS

There's a 7 mile greenway I ride daily, it runs along a large creek. I came upon my first Blue Heron this week. I've got to start carrying my camera, plenty of deer and wild turkey. Great pics!!! Thanks.

stapfam

I used to fly R/C gliders. 10 to 15ft wingspan things and at one Competition there were six of us climbing in a thermal. Then we looked again and there were 7 planes up there. Then two seemed to collide and one fell out of the sky- Then another fell out out of the Sky. The rest of us got down as quick as possible as we realised the 7Th was a bird- A BIG bird. It was a Heron of some kind and I can tell you- They can make a massive great big hole in Balsa wood wings.

Don't see many Herons round here but that may be that I don't look for them. And after my last encounter- Don't want to.

freeranger

I see one occasionally around here-lots of ponds around us here in Kentucky. The best memory of a heron is once, while living back east, and riding along the C&O Canal trail, a heron took flight from the water, as we passed by. Must have ridden over the canal for at least a 100 yards or so, right along with us, before veering off. Guess he was interested in seeing exactly what it was that was going along the trail. Great pics-wish I had one of an eagles nest that is (or was) in the top of a tall pine that is in the point in a horseshoe bend in a reservoir in a trail around Lake Redman in Pa. For years I rode that trail and the eagles nested in that pine every year I was there.

cranky old dude

groan

Allegheny Jet

I glad someone appreciates Blue Herons. I keep a bucket of old softballs next to our deck to chase those "bass eaters" away from our backyard pond.

leob1

I was riding along the D&R Canal one fine day, there was a GBH just standing on the path. Of course I slowed, but it flew off. It flew in the direction I was traveling, so I was able to pace it for a while. THAT was cool. It didn't like it too much, so it hit the afterburner and left me in the dust. A few hundred yards later, it did it again. After pacing it for a short while, it dropped me again.

sknhgy 

That mushroom looks like a sulfur shelf. I eat those.

BengeBoy 

great pics, thanks for sharing.