I’ve been trying since I moved here to get a decent picture of a Great Blue Heron, but they’re so shy here that I’ve never been able to sneak up on one. Finally I noticed one had taken up residence in a pond near the bike trail, and seemed to be getting accustomed to people passing by. So after work I hop the fence and slowly approach it. These two shots aren’t the best ones I got, but they illustrate something that has always confused me about Great Blue Herons. When they are standing still, especially in water that hides their legs, they look like a much smaller bird with a beard and no neck! When they become mobile again, they transform into the lanky creatures I’m used to seeing as I pull out my camera, too late.