My soul was beginning to experience the effects of not enough “beyond the backyard” beauty, so my daughter and I took a morning trek over to Cochran Shoals to walk the trails along the Chattahoochee River.
We saw daisies…
…and dragonflies
…and the mandatory Mallards…
But the highlight of the morning was seeing a bird that I have never encountered before – a Yellow-crowned Night Heron.
He was standing in the mud, a little ways off the Marsh Trail, and happened to move just enough to catch my attention. At first I thought he was a Blue Heron simply by the way he was standing and slowly stalking some hidden prey, but when I zoomed in with my camera I noticed that he had different face markings and a shorter beak.
No matter how hard I tried (and believe me, I tried!) it was impossible to get a clear picture of him amidst all the brush and branches. The best I could do was to balance my booty on a wooden rail and lean back, snapping pictures while I prayed to not fall in the mucky yuk.
When I got home, I looked him up in the field guide and was delighted to discover his true identity. Isn’t Yellow-crowned Night Heron a cool name? Sounds like some kind of super hero.
I wish I had been able to get a better picture of him, but now that I know where to find him, I will definitely be making a return trip. Besides, I’m sure my soul will be needing another dose of beauty soon.
Backyard Bird Nerd 
What a great find Kathy, this is the first time I have seen this bird, and your pics are superb, no need feel you could have done better. We make the best of the opportunity given us, and give thanks for that and the Lord will often give it as a prelude to a better opportunity at a later date. Yes the night herons are all very special looking birds, and a great view of a dragonfly. They look so great when you enlarge them on canvas, though there are so many varieties. I have one in our lounge room, and it gets great comments.
I don’t know much about dragonflies, but you are right, they are fun to photograph. I love the way their wings show up with all the intricate details! 🙂
He is gorgeous, and what a great day “in the field” you had! 🙂
I really did have a great morning. It does me so much good when I get steal away to somewhere beautiful and peaceful for awhile. 🙂
Congrats, he’s beautiful! Beautiful shots!!
Why thank you! And I’m glad I started following your blog…I enjoy checking in and seeing what creative endeavor you’ve been up to. 🙂
I’m in love with your dragonfly! And your Heron is a beauty too! And your ducks and daisies! I did a Daisy Duck drawing for Easter as a word play with the letter, D. 😊
I have found that dragonflies, though I know nothing about them, are so much fun to photograph. I love the way the details come out that you would otherwise miss. 🙂
I found a dead one – totally intact last year at the lake so I photographed it in different locations with my camera. Very fun! 😊
What an amazing day out in the field! 🙂
It was fun! 🙂