Green On Green

It has been a very successful breeding season for our local Green Herons. Multiple pairs have hatched several chicks each and most are currently about to fledge. This particular chick has left their nest and is being fed by their parents on the ground as they wait for their flight feathers to grow in. This stage usually happens at a little over 2 weeks of age. I noticed the chick while I was observing three of their siblings in a nest above. They were staying near the nest on a fallen willow branch just offshore. After watching a parent return to feed the other three I began to wonder if they were feeding this one. Sure enough, about 10 minutes later, a parent returned with food for them. In Green Herons both parents provide care for the chicks until they are about a month old. In this image, the fledgling rests on a branch a few feet from shore. I created the effects by framing the heron through a small opening in the shoreline vegetation. A reflection of fine green willow leaves on water provided a wispy green background. The overall image feels ethereal which highlights the heron’s development as they transition from chick to adult.