Saturday, June 05, 2010

Heron on the Lake

Great Blue Heron
(Ardea herodias)

This is another one of those years when I stand on the shore of the lake and snap image after fuzzy image of herons. Day after day, I haunt shorelines and shallows and ponds and estuaries with camera in hand. I am seldom (if ever) even slightly satisfied with the images of them I upload here, but my love of the great blue birds goes on and on.

Standing by the water a day or two ago, I remembered a dear departed friend and sister who loved these magnificent wild birds as much as I do. I shared every single photo with her, fuzzy or not, and she loved them all. I know that Aloha still loves herons - this week I could feel her smiling on the beach beside me.

Sometimes, I feel like the elderly Buddhist monk who was asked to describe his life (or journey) and exclaimed, "Just one mistake after another...." Then he laughed.

6 comments:

Tabor said...

This has to be one of my favorite posts because it give me hope. I jut thought you had wonderful natural talent...now I realize it is hope and patience that gets us photographers through the day.

Anonymous said...

That quote makes me smile and the photo is beautiful.

Anonymous said...

I, too, have a love of these wonderful creatures--never seem to be able to get even a fuzzy image, tho.
It's good to know others struggle with this same issue when shooting in the wild.

kerrdelune said...

No talent at all here, Tabor, just a great love of herons and oceans of patience. Great blues are one of the most difficult feathered creatures to photograph.

Anonymous said...

Well, I think THIS is a spectacular shot!
when I go on my walks sometimes there is a spot on the river that the herons come in low and fly right over your head. It is wonderful!
Peace~
Dawn

bev said...

It's a beautiful shot - and a bit unusual compared to most that are seen. I like to see a heron in flight. The come up the little river here and just appear for a few moments - out of the blue, so to speak - as they circle up and over the trees and head off elsewhere. I'm usually hanging up laundry or doing some other thing as they suddenly appear over the yard, soar and tilt over the lawn, the disappear from view. It's always a happy event, but so fleeting that it is one I'll never capture on camera! (-: