The Heron

I was in my office writing copy for this very site today when I first heard it. Our dogs, Maggie Elvis, and Lucy immediately entered “defense mode” when they heard it, too. Defense mode is basically high alert, ears up, heads cocked, attention focused and ready to go. As I heard it again, I suddenly found myself looking just like them.

The sound was incredibly loud and piercing; musical but not music. Rhythmic, yet in short stacatto bursts. Like a machine gun singing opera. It had a wooden timbre, but was definitely powered by a full set of lungs. All of a sudden it sounded like it was right over our house. Then silence. Then there it was again. As this sonic circus unfolded, the neighborhood dogs began to bark to alert each other of the oncoming invasion. Our dogs began quickly trotting back and forth as they huffed and puffed. Something was definitely up.

I took a quick look through our kitchen door and there it was – standing about three feet tall at the bottom of our driveway. Long, strong legs with big claws at the bottom, blue and white feathers covering huge, powerful wings, a gracefully curved neck with a red stripe, and a long, sharp, beak that could mean business in a hurry. And it began walking right up our driveway with a natural dignity and grace. It was a heron. A big heron. I have seen these magnificent and intelligent birds in streams and lakes in wooded areas before, but I have never seen one make a house call like this.

I quickly thought “camera and food” and ran through the house to find both. The camera would help capture this “suddenly safari” moment, and of course, the food would help keep the heron interested during the production. I scrambled through the house and returned outside with the goods, but our neighbor was just pulling up the driveway in her suv and it scared the big bird away. But instead of flying, the heron turned and began to walk down the side of the driveway and onto our neighbor’s lawn. Interesting I thought; this bird is concerned enough to relocate, but not concerned enough to fly away.

It made its way across her lawn and kept going once her children jumped out of the car and moved toward it. As soon as it saw the kids, it walked farther down the street. I followed it at a distance and watched it walk around the corner. It finally stopped in front of a neighbor’s house and I was able to take some photos just before everyone seemed to appear from their homes pointing at the heron. Some kids ran towards it but I yelled “Stop!” to them, and realizing the possible danger presented by this wild creature, they paused for a moment. Their grandmother made her way over to us and she didn’t seem to think there was any problem with the kids “meeting” the heron. I remarked that the bird was taller than her grandchildren and it might be a good idea if they didn’t get too close as the birds legs looked pretty strong and it’s claws were pretty large…

This seemed to ring a bell and she soon called the kids over. I guess grandmom did not want to have to explain to the insurance company how the kids left in her care were beat up by a giant bird…

The heron then looked at me as if to say “Thanks.” After a brief pause it began walking away again, this time around the house and through a yard, and made its way towards the creek about a half block away. I was able to keep the kids back while taking more photos, and helped the bird nearly make it’s way to the water where suddenly more neighbors appeared from the other side of the house. This time the rush of humanity was too much for the heron. It bellowed its loud call, stopped everyone in their tracks, and took off gracefully, flying straight down the middle of the creek where no one could get in its way. It shrieked a loud goodbye and soon disappeared from sight.

I am grateful that I was finally able to see one of these magnificent birds up close, and I hope you enjoy the photos I was able to take while on the run. However, I hope that the next time our special friend stops by, it will stay a little longer…