XVIII 



GKEAT BLUE HEKON ; BLUE CBANE 

 194. Ardea herodias 



The Great Blue Heron has a wide range and breeds 

 over the same territory, usually nesting in tall trees, but 

 often on the ground, and laying from three to six dull 

 greenish-blue eggs. It is a bird forty-two inches long, 

 and is found in flocks only at the nesting sites. The male 

 and female divide household duties and are mated for 

 the season; they fight faithfully for their home rights, 

 and are patient, accurate and quiet fishers. 



The nest is a piece of coarse, rickety architecture. 

 No lichen upholstery is put into this nursery and no bur- 

 nishing of the wicker-work outer walls is found. 



While working in a Cormorant rookery in the Gulf 

 of Mexico, off the coast of Florida, one hot May day, I 

 discovered, much to my surprise, a full-grown Blue 

 Heron perched on top of a dead tree stump thirty feet 

 from the ground and almost directly over me. (Fig. 25.) 

 It was posed as gracefully as any etching on a bronze 

 vase, and its seeming indiff erence to my approach led me 

 to conclude that it was a young bird. However, it was an 

 old bird that was taking a much-needed rest after the 

 morning meal had been served. I had made no effort at 

 secret approach or stalking, and I was heavily loaded 

 with a Graflex and a 4x5 plate camera, extra lenses and a 

 carrying case filled with loaded plate-holders and a tri- 

 pod. I deliberately deposited my load in a selected 

 dry spot, set up my tripod, mounted the long bellows 

 camera, carefully focused on the bird statuary and made 

 two exposures of three seconds each. I used an Adon 

 telephoto lens. All this time the bird was practically 

 motionless. Finally I decided I wanted a different pose, 

 so I called up to the Heron to change its position, where- 

 upon, much to my surprise and chagrin, it deliberately 

 straightened its neck to full length, gave one beat with 



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