New Beginnings

Photographer

Jo Emerald

Category

Nature Photography - Wildlife

Company

Submission Group

Amateur

Year

2026

Country / Region:

United States

Great Blue Herons, Ardea Herodias, are fascinating birds. In this area, they normally nest in deciduous trees. By the time they have eggs or chicks, the leaves are so thick that you can't see anything, much less photograph them. I was fortunate enough to find a colony nesting on old pilings. While they nest in colonies called a Heronry, they all pair off at different times. So the Heronry has chicks of various ages, while some, like this pair, are just beginning to court and build their nest.