20 Comments
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James Freitas's avatar

What beautiful shots ! I love how you always wish the wildlife well before departing. Thank you for sharing this.

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Neil Barker's avatar

Thanks, James and much appreciated - very fortunate with these images!

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Perry J. Greenbaum 🇨🇦 🦜's avatar

Such a lovely bird, perching on the branch and taking in his surroundings. Is he planning his day like humans do? Or does he live it out?

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Neil Barker's avatar

I wonder the same thing sometimes, Perry. Does this heron think through the day in terms of their perception of time (Dawn, Noon, Dusk, etc.)? Or does the heron simply live in what is happening around them in that moment...moment to moment? Interesing bird though.

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Joy V.'s avatar

I’ve had fun encounters with them in Florida and Texas this spring. Such beautiful birds.

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Neil Barker's avatar

That's great, Joy - I imagine there are a lot of good habitat for them in Texas and Florida specially. They are a fun and interesting bird to encounter - such a unique combination of colours.

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Heidi Zawelevsky's avatar

The Black-crowned Night Heron is a bird I can never see enough. Thank you for sharing so much of your observations with us, Neil. Amazing to see this one roosting above the river.

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Neil Barker's avatar

Thanks, Heidi and they a heron I enjoy seeing and am fortunate to have many in the area. This was nice to see one roosting high up like that as well.

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Ann Collins's avatar

"had swum" No one ever says that right. You have so many talents :-) Thank you for these lovely shots.

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Neil Barker's avatar

Thanks, Ann and much appreciated, haha. The former ESL teacher in me was calling that one out. :)

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Joni B's avatar

How could I miss them right there in the middle? But I did. Love those white head plumes moving in the breeze. Nice!

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Neil Barker's avatar

Thanks, Joni and much appreciated! This heron was a nice encounter and you're right about those white head plumes moving - good catch! :)

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Marisol Muñoz-Kiehne's avatar

Landscape takes bird form.

BCNH shape, perched, still.

Lens gets us closer.

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Neil Barker's avatar

Thank you for the haiku, Marisol - very much appreciated.

Bird form taking shape

Landscape surrendering bird

Camera witness

My own amateur attempt at haiku reply. :)

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Aria Vink's avatar

They always look so stern. I love them! Also, one of my favorite poems by you!

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Neil Barker's avatar

Thanks, Aria and much appreciated! They do have that stern and serious expression about them. :)

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Love the question in your sijo... and nice pictures...am looking at the white extensions on its back which is probably part of the breeding plumage...

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Neil Barker's avatar

Thank you, Rajani. Those white plume extensions are one thing that helped me see this heron as the plumes moved in the breeze.

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Mahdi Meshkatee's avatar

Evoked Buddhism, and how it teaches us that emptiness is form, and form emptiness.

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Neil Barker's avatar

Thanks, Mahdi and you're right. Watching this heron and reflecting back on that experience had me thinking about that phrase from the Heart Sutra.

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