Blue Herons

 

At Great Falls today we were lucky enough to see several Blue Herons fishing at the edge of the river.

 

These are very large birds, taller and bigger than the Herons that we are used to seeing in the UK.   

 

They are not year-round residents of Virginia but return to build nests and breed close to rivers like the Potomac which have quiet banks and provide plenty of fishing opportunities.

 

The scale of the rocks and rushing water at Great Falls makes it hard to realize just how large they are.

 

 

They stand very close to the edge of the water and it is amazing that they can even see the fish, let alone catch any.

 

There are obvious hazards to being so close to the spray and dipping for fish.. you can end up looking rather bedraggled.

 

They are obviously nesting close by - I would have assumed on the ground, but we did see one heron land in a tree..