Made a quick trip out to Lake Betz in Morrisville, NC this morning and was rewarded with an encounter with this handsome Green Heron.
These attractive Herons are aptly named for their dark green backs, but they’re far more colorful than their monochrome name may initially suggest!

Their heads and napes are also dark green, but their lores (the spot between the base of their bills and eyes) can be bright yellow-green in breeding plumage. Their wings show brighter blue-green iridescence in good light, with each feather defined by a buff border. Their neck is a rich, bold purplish-chestnut shade with white streaks along the throat, while the lower abdomen is a medium gray.
What a sharp looking bird!

Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds