Great Blue Heron gather in large colonies each spring. They build their nests in the safety of the tree tops, usually in swampy areas. In a rookery, they work together and monitor for predators like eagles and owls from above and racoons from below. They will switch off to feed their chicks, the arrival back is very dramatic. Here I believe the arriving heron is showing the other it has food. Their feathers stick out and with a short show of affection, the arriving heron flaps its wing at the other (almost like a slap on the back) to signal it can fly off to find more food.
Michelle Valberg is an award-winning Canadian wildlife photographer who has been telling stories with her camera for more than 30 years. She has traveled to all continents in search of adventure and photographic opportunities. She is particularly celebrated for her passion for Canada and the Arctic. Known for her unique ability to make relatable images of unimaginable landscapes, Michelle finds art in all of nature’s most intimate moments. The world around us mirrors what we see in ourselves, she says, including our beauty, our simplicity, our complications and our responsibilities. Nature is
