Great Blue Heron

I sketched this after a friend commented how much she loved seeing the heron’s legs dangling behind them as they flew.   She watches them in Urbana, IL, and I watch them here in Portland, OR.  When my husband and I were courting a few years ago, we drove by a wetland preserve at dusk.  A great blue heron flew in front of the windshield.  We were poking along, flirting and enjoying the scenery.  Suddenly we saw beak, eye, feathers, and motion, Jim hit the brakes but it had ascended already, in one wing flap it reached the sky.  It was frightening because we almost hit it, but exhilarating because it appeared like a vision then soared into the heavens.   In the end, we felt that our relationship was blessed by a heron.  It’s a good sign that herons and other big ancient birds are still among us.  I hope we always respect and make room for their habitats.