As I was walking the path to find the previously posted Barred Owl, I noticed a Great Blue Heron on the bank of the canal. I was taking some scenic photos of him when a couple walked past me. They stopped when they understood what I was focused on. I told them to go ahead, that I was done with the shot, and was waiting for the fly off shot. They continued on and passed the heron, coming within 8 feet of him. I was amazed he didn't take off. Herons of Illinois are very shy, so seeing this was highly unusual. I've never gotten within 25 feet of one, before it would spook.
I thought I would give it a shot and approached slowly. I took some shots, checked the settings, and stepped a few more...
I thought about sitting down and hanging out with him while he hopefully caught a fish, but my encroachment was too much. He flew to the other side of the canal...
When I walked down the path a bit, he flew back to his original spot. I was just 8-10 feet from him when I took the top photo. What a beautiful bird!
