Green Herons

What a delight to discover this small bird at Magnolia Cemetery recently.  The Green Heron, also called the Green-Backed Heron, is the smallest of the Heron family measuring just 18-22 inches.  Compare that size to the Great Blue Heron which stands 50-54 inches tall. The Greenie is the runt of the Heron family!

I guess the more you take pictures, you'll get a nice surprise now and then.  I didn't see the Dragonfly when I took this shot.  What a thrill when I got home, viewed my photos and, wow, found this shot!  I liked this image so much I had a mid-size canvas reproduction made at Imaging Arts Gallery and Fine Art Printing on King Street in Charleston.

 Love trying to get- and getting- good reflection shots like this. 

 The Green Heron has a minnow in its mouth.  Note its large feet. 

It was such a thrill to meet this new bird (for me) and be able to photograph it for several minutes like this from fairly close range.  Thanks to my birding friends Sal and Suzanne for their help in identifying the Green Heron for me. 

I ran into another Green Heron just last week.  My bird book says when alarmed the bird will raise the spiky black feathers on its crown.

This is the same bird, just moments before.  Didn't mean to alarm you my little friend.  You can ask that other Green Heron I photographed previously-- I'm harmless!