Blackwater NWR January Birds – Part 3
I had separated out my Great Blue Heron shots at Blackwater NWR for their own share and to complete my January 2026 series from my two visits to the refuge.
One visit I counted eight Great Blues; the other, five. I stopped for four to photograph.
The first three are single shots of what they do best.
Slowly waking up in the early morning light.
This one looks like he’s stuck in the mud!
By his look, I’m sure he turned happy when I quickly moved on after the photo.
This last Great Blue Heron was out in a wider open portion of the marsh, fishing mid-morning. A few singles from my shot series.
Great Blue Heron stalking fish
A tiny catch!
And onward it went, in the need to find more than that for a mid-morning snack!
Bay Photos by Donna 
I love the sequence of photos!
Thank you, Michael!
You’re welcome, Donna.
They are strange birds in the way they can retract their neck. I really like the photo when it’s fishing but it’s seems to be looking at its own reflection. (Suzanne)
Thank you, Suzanne! They can really create some crazy looking positions with that neck lol.
Fabulous photos Donna
Thank you, Sheree!
They are neat birds. That one did look stuck in the mud. I love the reflections you captured too. Great series!
Thank you, Deborah!
You’re welcome!
Fabulous reflections. Such an enjoyable sequence to look at. Thank you Donna.
Thank you, Sandy, so happy you enjoyed!
So lovely
Gwen.
Thank you, Gwen!
Wonderful series of the GBH in various hunting stances, Donna. I especially like those last four reflection close-ups…excellent.
Thank you, Jet!
Amazing reflections. 😁
Thank you, Pepper! 😁
Great shots, Donna. Did the water of the Chesapeake freeze during this recent cold spell?
Thank you, Eliza! The Chesapeake Bay had lots of floating ice, same as the bigger rivers, but big tankers/ships were still moving. The ice breakers have been quite busy all over. There was a large cove off the bay near me that did freeze over, locals were ice boat racing and ice skating during that last wind storm 30+mph! I would not have stepped out on that ice for anything. The ‘creek’ across from me had only a small channel of moving water from the running tides. It’s now quite open from the winds, ‘my’ Tundra Swans are returning to their ‘spot’ in my scope view, this morning 14! I was up to 48 before the snow/ice hit.
👍🏼 👏🏼
Very nice, Donna and the one stuck in the mud gave me a good laugh 😊
Thank you, Belinda! I asked that GBH if he wanted to come be one of my garden statues, he declined. 😂 He would have been perfect!
Have to agree there 😊. They can remain in place a lot longer than me!
I loved watching it dive for a fish, but the top photo is my favorite. How the reed, with reflection, form a circular pattern that draws the eye up and down to the herron. Very nice, Donna
Thank you, so happy you enjoyed and noticed all those details! I do love when a bigger view shares a simple bird shot that is surrounded by complimentary reflections and/or colors.
The tiny catch was the appetizer!
Enjoyed the photo series. 🙂
Thank you, TD! That was just an appetizer! 🙂
These are great Heron shots Donna, especially the stalking shots with the perfect reflections! That Heron does look like it’s stuck in the mud. I once watched and photographed a Heron crossing the Creek when it was iced over. I almost felt like I couldn’t watch him/her as it was taking careful measured steps so its long legs would not go out from under it. I wanted to cheer when it reached the other side. 🙂
Thank you, Linda! I can relate to the GBH making it’s way across the ice, I watched one slip and slide once, he finally gripped the ice with his toenails and stayed put a while. I can only imagine his thoughts! Glad yours made it across, I’d have cheered too!
Donna, amazingly after I wrote this comment about the previous GBH slip-sliding away, today I was at the same park and I spooked a heron who flew over to a huge piece of ice near the opposite shoreline. He made an awkward landing as that ice was covered with Mallards. Oops! He fell and I felt badly that he might have hurt himself, but he got up, ruffled feathers and all and flew back to where I was standing, but since I was still there, he went back, landing more gracefully and walked around, very carefully this time. I took photos which I hope turn out well as he was across the Creek from me. I had my digital compact camera with 12X zoom, so it should be okay.
Oh no, poor Mr GBH! What an observation you’ve seen! I’m looking forward to your photos of a GBH across the creek. Should be pretty!
Yes, I cringed when it fell, but it was shiny icy, so I’m not surprised it lost its footing, then it had a bit of trouble “lifting off” to cross over to this side. Ultimately it ended up in the Creek.
Some beautiful reflection captures Donna on this heron who appears to have the remains of breeding plumage.
Thank you, Ashley! Actually, our Great Blue Herons will be courting soon so maybe he’s beginning his breeding plumage a little early. 😊
So beautiful photographs dear Donna, Thank you, have a lovely day, Love, nia
Thank you, Nia, you too!
Nicely caught, Donna!
Thank you!
I just caught up with the Blackwater series. Fantastic photographs!
Really great memories of camping, birding and exploring Blackwater when we lived in Maryland in the ’70’s.
Thank you for sharing the Eastern Shore beauty.
Thank you, Wally! I was able to start getting out in January to drive, and I just had to go to the refuge to get some good ole marshy sights and smells! Happy to stir great memories for you!!
Lovely series of fishing shots.
Thank you, Tom!
is it common to see herons this far north in winter?
Becky
It is common to see Great Blue Herons around the Chesapeake Bay/mid-Atlantic region year-round. They do not migrate. They will move from location to location to stay with open shallow waters and marshes for fishing when winter freezing occurs. Soon they will begin courting and building nests in their rookeries. Thank you for your question!
Fun. I have a few of the tiny fish caught by large bird photos, too.
Thank you, Curt! The way he was stalking, I was ready to capture a bigger fish catch, lol. Sometimes you wonder was that teeny, tiny fish worth it, but they all add up!
Bigger size: more work! Grin. And you have to worry about the fins going down the right way. Not good getting stuck in your throat!
Beautiful shots. That one of its strike is fabulous. Your great blues look so much like our purples.
Thank you, IJ! I’ll look up your purples, see the resemblance. Seems there are different variations of this heron.