It’s one of my favorite places: sitting on a boulder with my feet dangling over the Shenandoah River in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. I’m far enough from the outside world that the only sound is the river flowing beneath me.
It’s not quite sunrise. Looking toward the mountain to the east, I see the beginnings of red, orange, and yellow light as the sun approaches the horizon. I wait with my camera in hand, wondering what the morning will bring.
To my left, a small rock ledge reaches out from the riverbank, about 75 feet from where I’m sitting. It’s a favorite hunting ground of Great Blue Herons—or perhaps I should say one particular Great Blue Heron. They often return to productive feeding and roosting areas, and an individual may defend a favorite fishing spot.
Not long after the sun rises above the mountain, a heron glides toward the ledge. Great Blue Herons are elegant in flight, with their long necks folded into an S-shape and their legs trailing well behind them. Their wingspans can exceed six feet. I photograph the moments before his graceful landing.
He sees me. Many herons would be too skittish at this distance and look for another place to land. Perhaps he stays because of my relaxed posture on the rock, my stillness, or my apparent lack of interest in him. Whatever the reason, he goes about his business—and his business is finding breakfast.
Contrary to what many people believe, Great Blue Herons eat much more than fish. Their varied diet can include frogs, salamanders, snakes, turtles, insects, mice, voles, and even the occasional small waterbird or duckling.
I sit and watch as the heron stands absolutely still, occasionally breaking into a slow, deliberate stalk through the shallows. I gradually lift my camera and make a few photographs. They probably won’t be keepers, but the early light looks interesting, and I want to capture the scene.
As the soft morning light becomes more direct, the heron crouches slightly and lifts off over the water, steadily climbing toward his cruising altitude. I remain seated and let my camera do its thing at 20 frames per second.
I hope I’ve captured something worthy of my portfolio. But either way, I’ve enjoyed my morning.
Photo note: The photographs accompanying this story were made during several outings along the Shenandoah River in West Virginia and western Virginia, and at Stauffer’s Marsh Nature Preserve.
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