I encountered a very cooperative Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) at Ft. De Soto in St. Petersburg, Florida and got some wonderful photos of it. This particular bird was the more common blue form or morph (Ardea herodias wardi). In Texas, I photographed a white form or morph (Ardea herodias occidentalis) from a distance.
Great Blue Heron, Ft. De Soto, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, June 29, 2012
Great Blue Heron, Ft. De Soto, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, June 29, 2012
Great Blue Heron, Ft. De Soto, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, June 29, 2012
Great Blue Heron (white morph), Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Austwell, Texas, USA, December 27, 2008
My backyard is on a pond in Denville, northern New Jersey. I see a bird on an island that looks to me like a great blue heron, and then I found your most excellent photo on the Web. Thanks so much, from this geeky old man retired engineer!
Steve Mozeson,
PS-I’m going to dig out my camera with a telephoto lens, and hope to get his picture.