Great Blue Heron mating season is in full force!

[Canon_Bob]

Some images from today. The mating season is in full force here, and the chicks are due to pop any minute. Even though the rookery I shot all last season is going full force as well, this one has much better POV and lighting into the nests. Enjoy!

Here's a single heron looking for a mate. He is in deep breeding plumage, and was exhibiting this display (sounds and all) the entire morning. He was also very territorial toward the other herons.


The next two are of the "passing of the sticks" between the male and female. It can be quite a display.




This last one is of the first chick I've seen this year! There are about a dozen nests in this rookery, so it should be good shooting all spring:

[AgingEyes]

Great photos as always!

Good light, good colors!

[Jaedon]

I LOVE #2 of the stick passing. The deep shadows play so nicely off the pair and yet the colours are still brilliant. Awesome shot CB.

[scott-devon]

Fantastic shots Bob, I particularly like the first shot of the male display.

[mn shutterbug]

Awesome shots with great clarity. I also prefer the passing of the sticks. It's always nice to see the wildlife interacting.

[paulnj]

I love that second image!

[WesternGuy]

Great images CannonBob . I am wondering how high that rookery is in the air. There is an established one in Victoria BC on Vancouver island, but you cannot see anything as the trees are so tall and the nests and branches so thick that about all you can do is listen to the noise they make. My guess is that the BC one is at least one hundred feet in the air and is a very long established one. The only way you can get pictures is on the edge when the adults are coming and going, or with a "crane" that could hoist you into the air, and I suspect that violates some city ordnance. I would be interested in some details of the "physical aspects" of the your rookery, or heronry as they refer to it in Victoria. Here is a URL to the heroncam in Victoria http://www.heroncam.com/

Cheers,

WesternGuy

[BFiredup]

Awsome pics....Love the detail, and the interaction....

[mtbbrian]

WOW!
I can't say I have seen anything like this before.
These are wonderful photographs.
Thanks for sharring them with us.
Brian

[slayer7124]

The chick looks like its having a bad hair day, haha. Awesome shots! Definitely don't have anything like that up here in CT.

[Knight]

What else can i say, Awesome Captures

[Jaedon]

how long is the mating season CB? Will there still be mating herons next week when I am at Merritt Island?

[Canon_Bob]

WesternGuy - This is the wolrd famous Venice Rookery. Probably THE premier spot to shoot GBH mating. The rookery is actually a small island in the middle of gator infested water. No boating is allowed. Early morning light is best, and you shoot from an elevated shoreling that puts you basically eye-level with many of the nests. There's one in particular that will be really good this year.

Jaedon - They will be mating and nesting for the next few months. You may only catch the tail end of the nest building part.

[WesternGuy]

Canon_Bob, thanks for the info. Sounds like the conditions are just fantastic for image capture - I am jealous already .

The only way I could get pictures in Victoria is if I knew some one on the 12th floor +/- in an apartment adjacent to the rookery (which I don't :mad2: )

Looking forward to many more of your fantastic images. :thumbsup:

Cheers,

WesternGuy