On my walk today

[supernova]

OMG! You won't believe it; I didn't believe it! I was walking the path around the Gardens at Duke campus. When I rounded the back corner what to my wondering eyes should I see standing next to the reservoir drain but...

A GREAT BLUE HERON!!

I had to stop walking and stare because he wasn't more than 10 feet away from me. I've NEVER been that close to a wild GBH before. What a privilege. And he was HUGE, almost as tall as me! I didn't want to disturb him.

My, but was he exquisitely beautiful! He was standing there napping, sitting on a tree limb half-submerged in the water, one leg raised and his eyes closed.

[Lars39]

1. I understand your delight!

I was that close to one at Reelfoot Lake once. Absolutely gorgeous! They're *my* birds. :)

[GOPisEvil]

2. We've got some here in TX, too.

I've seen a few. They are quite beautiful.

[JitterbugPerfume]

4. wow

that is a beautiful thing to see

[supernova]

6. Spectacular

My jaw dropped b/c I've never seen on there before. They have the usual assortment of ducks, geese and a pair of swans. In all my years of going there, that's the first Heron I've seen in that place.

I saw one once at Chincoteague Island, but it was very far away.

[VelmaD]

3. How wonderful for you.

Sometimes the universe smiles down on us and gives us these moments. Thanks for sharing yours with us. :-)

[supernova]

11. I know what you mean

I live for little stuff like this. :D

[commander bunnypants]

5. Awesome

they are pretty birdies. We have them all around the river here.

DDQM

[Padraig18]

7. We call blue herons...

... "Kaskaskia River pterodactyls" here in central IL. They're an awesome sight to behold. :)

[Lars39]

8. My scrawny little cat tried to take one down in the front yard.

The bird had obviously gotten lost, because we don't live near where they normally live. I looked out my front door just in time to see the cat chase it. The bird just landed on a stump and watched the cat for a while. Made me wonder just who considered who supper. :)

[supernova]

9. BWAHAHAH!!

If it was anything like the one I saw this afternoon, that bird would have had your cat for a snack! :D

[Lars39]

10. I know, that's what was so funny about it!

Our cat actually thought she could catch the thing! :)

[brook]

16. I haven't seen one...

do it, but I'm told they eat gophers on our golf course. The majority of the herons I see are white - but there are a few blues that I see once in awhile. They are gorgeous, aren't they?

Yesterday I looked out the living room window and there were 5 huge wild turkeys walking up my neighbor's front walk! Those are pretty common here...but I never tire of seeing them either.

[proud patriot]

12. What a wonderful gift

:bounce: COOL

[LastTime2BeFree]

13. I see them every morning

While I'm sittin on the crapper looking out the window they are looking for frogs or whatever in the pond out back. My niece calls them storks and says they bring all the babies to people.

[BiggJawn]

14. OMG! TEN feet?????

lucky you!
I see them in the river or flying over on my way to work often. They like the Wabash. So do Sandhill Cranes and Bald Eagles.
10 feet!
Wow!

[supernova]

15. Yep, 10 feet

away. Never, ever did I imagine I'd be that close to a Great Blue Heron.

What was so amazing is he didn't seem to notice us humans. There were only a couple of us there, it being Monday afternoon and all. I'm assuming it was a "he", there was that band of dark blue at the base of his neck.

I bet it's great to see a Bald Eagle. We have Red-Tailed Hawks here and I see those every other day. Never tire of them.

[Occulus]

17. Once, when I was sixteen,

I was out walking near some high-tension power lines out in the sticks, and I looked up at the towers... to see them covered with vultures.

Turkey vultures. I counted well over 100 before I stopped counting, as they weren't just one one high-tension tower, but like five or six. They were covering the tops of the towers, perched all over the crosstrees at the top. Just... sitting there, waiting for sunset.

It was eerie. They were all- all- completely still. I felt like I had just walked into a King novel.