Great Blue Heron’s Magical Camouflage
Great blue heron blends in with rocks.
Like a real-life Where’s Waldo?
The patron in the Audubon gallery had browsed through the collection of Great Blue Heron photos, but kept returning to the one you see above.
Finally, she came over to me and asked why I had included one without any Herons. We walked over to the wall together and I pointed out the Heron, his back perfectly camouflaged against the rocks. Had I cropped out the tell-tale burst of water drops that were flung upwards as the Heron thrust her head beneath the surface, the camouflage effect would be even more apparent. If you cover that burst of water in the photo with your hand, you can see how the Heron’s back fits in with the rocks.
Great Blue Heron camouflaged in pickerel weed.
The patch of pickerel weed along the shoreline in the photo above has been a perennial favorite. Can you find the Great Blue Heron there?
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Thanks to Jen H and WordPress for the recent WPC Challenge: Magic. Is camouflage magic? I say yes, emphatically.
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My Great Blue Heron photography has been featured in 3 one-woman shows at the Summer Street Gallery of The Natick Center for the Arts. In addition to the visual arts shown at the gallery, TCAN has a lively, dynamic lineup of upcoming performing artists.
A selection of my heron and flower photos is now available at the Five Crows Gallery in Natick, MA. Drop in and see the work of the many wonderfully creative artists who show there when you’re in the area.
Five Crows is on FaceBook. To give the gallery a visit, please click here.
Remember: Walk softly and carry a long lens.™
The Tao of Feathers™
© 2016 Babsje. (https://babsjeheron.wordpress.com)
Great Blue Heron, TCAN, kayaking
Posted on December 11, 2016, in ardea herodias, Art, Audubon, Bird photography, Birds, Great Blue Heron, Nature Photography, Photography, Photography challenge, postaday, Weekly Photo Challenge, Wildlife Photography and tagged great blue heron, postaday, TCAN. Bookmark the permalink. 15 Comments.
Babsje Heron 
wow, it took me a long time to see it – very cool
So glad you found the Heron! Their camouflage is VERY effective, no? Best, Babsje
Nature has a wonderful way of protecting her own, doesn’t she?! Well captured Babsje!
Hi Tina – Many thanks for your kind words and great observation. You’re entirely correct – Nature does protect her own. Best, Babsje
That’s brilliant
So glad you like this one. Thanks for your kind comment. Best, Babsje
Laughter. What a good medicine.
How very true, Gary!
Thanks for the smiles your comment brought. Some days we all need laughter more than others! Best, Babsje
It is always amazing to see how animals really do meld in with their environment. That it can take a second glance to see eyes looking at you. I particularly like the heron hidden in the pickerel weed…just a row of purple flower spires…except one head disguised in the row of blooms. I like pickerel weed too…so much of the wetland and gallinules just love em!! 🙂
Hi Judy – Many thanks for your kind comment and observations. You’re right about seeing those eyes looking at us. Sometimes I feel more like the ‘watched’ than the ‘watcher.’ Especially when in the cove it becomes suddenly very quiet as I paddle through. Sometimes the noisy ones like Kingfishers or Blue Jays raise a ruckus to alert the wildlife that an interloper is in their midst, but those occasions when it becomes too still and too quiet are eerie, and I know I’m being quietly watched. Oh, and the pickerel weed? I love the color combination of green and purple-blue, especially early in their season when the green is light and new. Thanks again. Best, Babsje
Superb image
I’m happy you like this one. Many thanks for your kind compliment. Best, Babsje
Just stunning!
Thanks, Drexel! You may appreciate the 3rd image in this post – it is the uncropped original of the Heron landing that huge Pike: https://babsjeheron.wordpress.com/2020/04/12/beautiful-great-blue-herons-simply-unretouched/
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