GBH

So apparently I need to carry my camera during all dry-weather dog walks. I missed a great shot the other day. Grrrr!

We were on the home stretch following our daily tour through the subdivisions last week and came around the corner to find a great blue heron (GBH) perched on top of a neighbor's fence.

Whoa!

The fence is about 4-feet tall and separates two back yards. Two summers ago one neighbor put considerable effort into landscaping their backyard complete with a fountain and small pond. The GBH was standing on the fence overlooking the pond. He looked like he was smacking his lips (quite a trick, since herons don't have lips). So if the pond was stocked with fish, it wasn't any more.

GBH's are large birds! Pretty spectacular to stand within 10-12 feet of one. I stopped to watch him (he couldn't see the dog and Indy had no idea the bird was there). The GBH wasn't afraid of me in the least. I couldn't stand there forever, so Indy and I continued home. But it was quite the experience.

Years ago when Lacey and I were living in my last apartment, we startled a GBH out of the koi pond during our pre-work stroll through the complex. That was pretty exciting. GBH's have quite the wing span, so the bird wasn't the only one startled. To watch something that size take to the air right in front of you is really something!

So...I missed another photo op. Doubly disgusting because there won't be many dry days for whipping out the camera in the months ahead.