|
|
Green herons are one of my favorite herons, but I rarely get to see them — particularly up close. They’re much smaller than the great blue heron and can assume a variety of shapes, depending on how they are posing. I came across this heron early one morning in the freshwater marsh beside the causeway at Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina. Like the other wading birds that morning, it was hunting shrimp, using the downed tree as a base to strike out into the water. |
|
I was watching this heron for some time while it watched the water. The duck pond at Virginia Tech had several that could be seen around the two ponds. Suddenly it struck at its target and came up with this (relatively) large crawfish. I was pretty stunned, I think this was my first picture of an animal catching a meal, but I managed to keep my composure and get some nice pictures. |
|
In an attempt to subdue its prey, the heron shook its head vigorously, giving the crawfish a good shake in the process. Unfortunately, the heron never got to enjoy its catch. A young family came strolling along on the path and the heron took flight, heading to a far side of the pond where it hunted for small fish. |