Nothing like the intensity of the Green Heron when he’s scouring the marsh for a tasty bite. Named the 2015 Bird of the Year by the ABA, the Green Heron is the second smallest of the North American herons.
Green Herons are expressive and photogenic and they are also quite skilled as contortionists, especially when preening! I think the American Bird Conservancy’s description of the Green Heron is very apt: “…small and stocky, shy yet cocky”!☺️
The range of the Green Heron covers the eastern half of the U.S. and most of Mexico and Central America. Happily, they are with us in Florida all year, feasting on the plentiful fish, frogs, aquatic insects, amphibians, and aquatic plants of our wetlands. ☀️
Birder's Journey 
Aaaawwwwwwwwwwe
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Aren’t we lucky that we see them everywhere every time we go to the wetlands? ☺️
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Gorgeous plumage on the adults! Great close-ups!
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They are handsome, birds. Thanks so much, Sue!
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You can never get tired of these little guys
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So true!
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Wonderful series of images of one our favorites. (Seems like every bird we see is a favorite.)
We’re lucky the Green Heron breeds locally.
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Thank you. I completely agree with you about favorites, Wally! It seems that every bird is a favorite!
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Great images. They are so beautiful!
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They are one of the most photogenic and expressive of all the birds, Deborah. I’m so glad you enjoyed them.
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So much to love about these characters, their contortions and how expressive their head feathers can be. You got some great captures, Carol, and how fun to have them around all year!
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Thank you so much, Ellen. I’m looking forward to their nesting and seeing the hatchlings again this spring. Last year their nests were so close to the boardwalk, you could almost reach out and touch them.
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I bet you are, that close a look at nature is magical.
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Lucky for you to get so close to this heron. “Shy yet cocky” might describe its behavior in Florida, but here in the Colorado, there is nothing cocky about Green Herons and they take off as soon as one looks at them (at least in my experience).
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Isn’t it funny how differently birds react to humans in different locations? ☺️
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I love these guys, too, BJ. Fun photos of the contortionists.
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Thank you for stopping by, Jet! Always love to connect with you.
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Wonderful…it’s easy to see how much you love these birds in how beautifully you’ve photographed them! They’re very handsome birds and look like they have a lot of character.
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You’re so right, Ann … they definitely do have character! Your kind comments are much appreciated.
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Probably one of the most overlooked birds along the water – so still and quiet, often hiding in plain sight.
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So true. I always try to give them a lot of air time. ☺️
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