Last week, I took a birding trip to the Jordan Lake Dam in New Hill NC.
Along with the usual crew of Cormorants, gulls and Bald Eagles there were several Great Blue Herons hunting for fish in the Haw River.

It was wonderful to watch them gliding above the water low & slow like a jet. Whenever something caught their eye, they’d dive down into the water below.

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I wish I was able to grab a photo of at least one bird facing me whenever they’d strike a fish, but every single Heron had its back to me that morning lol! Still, it was great fun to
photograph these magnificent birds in action.

A staple of the waterways here in North Carolina, Great Blue Herons are easily recognizable by their long graceful necks and legs and stately slate -blue plumage.
They are indeed attractive birds with those black plumes on their white head, bold black patches on their underparts, and even swatches of reddish-brown on the wings and thighs. Those dark grey flight feathers set off their bold look nicely!
As seen here in these photos, Great Blue Herons take off with their necks fully extended, but after a few wing beats they’ll pull it into that signature S shape as they fly on.

The largest and most widespread heron species in North America, Great Blue Herons are a familiar sight to many people from the mangrove swamps of Florida all the way up through Canada to the coastline of Alaska.
Here in NC, they may be found hunting for a meal at freshwater ponds, lakes, and streams all year long in all one hundred counties. Interestingly, they also feed in brackish waters, especially so at the coastal impoundments located in our eastern counties.
Aren’t they lovely?

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame @canonusa
#5Ds