I like Great Blue Herons. They are big. They are everywhere. They are attractive, with interesting plumage details and a range of subtle color (not to mention that bright yellow eye). The predominent grays offer no exposure challenges (unlike, say, an Anhinga or Great Egret). And they pose (sometimes for hours). As a photographer, that makes them just about the ideal bird to photograph.

Of course they are interesting from a birder/naturalist aspect to…

This is one of the resident Bosque del Apache GHBs, digiscoped, early afternoon, in the full light of a high desert, Rio Grande Valley, New Mexico day. If I am not mistaken, I photographed this same bird, in just about this same spot, two years ago at Bosque, and probably the year before too…or another very like it. (But then they all look alike to me.) Who could resist?

Canon SD4000IS behind the 15-56x Vario eyepiece on the ZEISS DiaScope 65FL. The first one is at about 1200mm, ISO 125 and 1/1250th second. The second is more like 5000mm, ISO 125 again (great light!) and 1/800th of a second. The two shots show, by the way, the range available with a good digiscoping rig.

Both processed in Lightroom for intensity and clarity.