Backyard bird #60 is a Great Blue Heron! This one took off from the pond’s edge just as we walked out back.

I see them pretty often at the pond, but never have my camera with me when I do. When they take off, it looks like they might not clear the treeline.

Such a big bird. Lots of them migrating through the nearby coastal marshes now. Apparently a pond in a red maple swamp will also do for hunting up some dinner.

Whether poised at a river bend or cruising the coastline with slow, deep wingbeats, the Great Blue Heron is a majestic sight. This stately heron with its subtle blue-gray plumage often stands motionless as it scans for prey or wades belly deep with long, deliberate steps. They may move slowly, but Great Blue Herons can strike like lightning to grab a fish or snap up a gopher. In flight, look for this widespread heron’s tucked-in neck and long legs trailing out behind.

Bye, big bird.