In a small pond, overgrown with trees and bushes, a pair of green herons was raising their brood this summer...
Green herons are fairly common but I have never watched their interactions in such an intimate setting before...
They can very territorial, even when food is abundant...
In the next image one is preening beneath an outstretched wing...
As the first brood becomes old enough to forage on their own, the adults may be displaying courtship behavior in anticipation of rearing a second brood...
Less than half a mile from the pond, in a very small creek, I came upon a great egret...
Great egrets were often seen in our area not long ago. It seems that their numbers have been declining locally, perhaps due to competition with the great blue herons...
This particular bird showed no concern as it fed past my vehicle, stopped less than twenty yards away...
After getting these images I did not linger, allowing the egret to feed undisturbed...
The largest bird that I commonly see is the great blue heron. They are slightly larger than the great egret. It is not uncommon to see as many as four different birds in a one mile stretch of creek...
When this one decided to feed upstream I was able to get a few photos as it departed...
I am always impressed with their wingspan, which can reach 79 inches...
Even when looking for larger subjects, it is hard to resist photographing young wildlife of any species...
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