One thing I miss so much about being on Whidbey Island is the bird population. Here in Santa Cruz, being a comparatively urban environment, we have an abundance of sea gulls, pigeons, crows, sparrows, hummingbirds, and a spattering of others. However I was surprised and delighted to look out my upstairs window one day and see a different kind of backyard visitor - this magnificent great blue heron!
I first noticed this visitor standing on the roof of the cottage in our back yard.
It flew across the yard and landed in our plum tree.
It seemed particularly interested in something on the other side of our fence - I think the neighbor's fish pond! It craned its' neck to see.
This beautiful creature spent about 10 minutes, stepping gracefully across the branches.
Finally it spread its wings ......
took a springing step.....
and took off! Those little fish were safe for another day. (Unfortunately something made a shadow across my lens just as I shot this last photo!)
I first noticed this visitor standing on the roof of the cottage in our back yard.
It flew across the yard and landed in our plum tree.
It seemed particularly interested in something on the other side of our fence - I think the neighbor's fish pond! It craned its' neck to see.
This beautiful creature spent about 10 minutes, stepping gracefully across the branches.
Finally it spread its wings ......
took a springing step.....
and took off! Those little fish were safe for another day. (Unfortunately something made a shadow across my lens just as I shot this last photo!)
6 comments:
FANTASTIC! I love this series of photos. We were just out on the Larry Scott Memorial Trail photographing a heron. How unbelievably cool that one landed on your roof. Wonderful stuff.
We got a shot of your beloved Whidbey in the sun and clouds today. Lovely day for a walk.
Wonderful, Sigrid. These are terrific!
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Dotty
Magnifique !
J'aimerais que cet oiseau vienne dans mon jardin !
RD, you are so generous with your comments. I miss you, especially when I picture you soaking up the sights of the island.
Dotty, glad you enjoyed!
Merci Jean, S'il se retourne, je chuchoterai dans son oreille pour vous visiter!
amazing and inspiring. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Wow! Twenty years ago I lived on an estuary of the Chesapeake Bay. The Great Blue Heron was a daily visitor. Often she would appear just as the morning fog was lifting.
She entered my life, I think, to lift me out of a fog. Clearly, but not so clearly to me at the time, my hectic lifestyle was sucking the life out me. I had lost touch with the awe and beauty of life.
I never imagined a creature like her. In fact, when we first met, I thought that she were a pteradactyl lost in a time warp. I refilled my coffee and rubbed my eyes. Yes, indeed, this was not a dream.
I looked forward to spending a few minutes each morning with her before I headed into my 45 minute commute to work.
Thanks for "performing" at Birdstock. Your photos are spectacular!
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