All those birds great and small…
A great blue heron silhouetted on the budding branches. I love this time of year.
The low hum of spring is now a cacophony of migrating birds sounds. Just in time for World Migratory Bird Day (There’s a day for everything!).
© Karen McRae, 2014
draw and shoot 
Wonderfully coloured and lit shot.
Thanks, Victor. It was sort of hidden but it worked out okay. I saw a green heron too!
In my world – all herons are great! They are very slowly returning to our part of the world.
Fantastic shot!
Thanks, Ken!
Beautiful photo. Reminds me, I saw a hawk in flight up close from underneath the other day while I was driving. Nature doesn’t have to do much to be beautiful, does it?
I think it’s easy to be beautiful if you’re a bird…
Thank you, Trish!
Beautiful photo and thoughts. Ethereal, and capturing the moment. I like the yellow-green of the willow buds in front of the heron. (They are willows, aren’t they?)
I don’t think that it is a willow tree, I’ll have to check on that!
Thanks very much, Susan.
A delightful contrast in silhouette shapes.
Thank you, Louis!
Different of every other photos of birds, so well done. Who needs a concert when we can just visit the woods in these times.
I love herons and you captured this one in a beautiful setting, Karen. It’s always a pleasure to watch nature through your lense. have a great weekend!
Love, Dina
It’s not until I looked closer that I could see the buds, but the promise of Spring is definitely there. A wonderful scene.
A lovely image. Herons intrigue me, we get quite a few along the coast here.
Both are stunning. I like the branches in the foreground with the heron, and in the background in the other photo. Poetic dialogue.
I’ve never seen an image of a heron in a tree before. Either flying or low on the ground. This image, with that curved branch, seems like a long time ago, maybe old Europe. Maybe Brueghel is at the base of the tree mixing paints. Love the atmosphere you have engendered.
Ah, the elusive heron. The apparition of birds-wonderful.
me too I love the bareness and bemoan the loss when spring arrives in a way – I am sad I think!
I love those patches of what looks like gold. Beautiful shot, Karen!
I love silhouettes. Beatuful. 😀
Lovely lighting!
gorgeous capture
So nice…!
Simple and elegant – as others have said, the gold gives a beautiful touch.
A wonderful shot Karen!
The bird looks so at home among the budding cobwebs.
Just lifting the head and letting the eyes wander… captured by the branches and greeted by the heron. Yes, it’s simple, it’s mundane (sort of). And this is where the deeper beauty begins to show. I like it good.
Great photo, Karen! Beautiful textures and tones.
Awakenibgs, in a way… Lovely, serene.
simply gorgeous…