Nature Done Wright

   Green herons may not be as visible as the Celery Farm as in a few years past, when a pair built its fragile nest of twigs above the path to the Warden’s Watch.

   But several have been seen regularly this month, including this guy above (lower right), who perched near the Pirie Platform during Sunday’s weekly hour-long bird count. He sat so that I could photograph the great blue heron in the background as well.

   After perching awhile, he was nice enough to fly by the platform for his close-up (below).

    I saw another one wading in Wood Duckling Pond last week, and I got fairly close.

  Foolishly, I brought the camera to my eye too quickly, and he flew off.

    I had been able to get fairly close because a landscaping crew in a nearby yard was making a lot of racket with their leafblowers and lawnmowers.

   Green herons aren’t as green as the name would imply, with ruddy necks and slate bluish wings.

  For more on these fascinating herons, go to:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Green_Heron.html