This is a Great Blue Heron I spied at Sea Pines Forest Preserve at Hilton Head, SC. Even though I live near a lake in North Carolina and see these birds often, the few times I have come close to one, they have been startled and have flown quickly away, just like this fellow did. He quickly crossed the water (which was full of alligators - but that is for another post!):
But the fellow below was quite unique. He not only didn't fly away, he seemed almost as curious about me as I was him (her?). Has this ever happened to any of you before? He wasn't injured and didn't seem addled in the brain... I googled and now realize that in Florida some of these instinctively shy birds beg for food from fisherman and do get quite close.
Well, it was a unique moment for me. And I have tried to express how I felt in the short poem below.
Time Stood Still
Unnaturally close we stood
Expectantly you looked at me
with eyes unwaveringly bold.
Amazingly I felt befriended;
I walked closer, tempted to touch,
but dignity and awe prevailed.
A joyous lightness stirred my heart.
The ocean breeze encircled us
as tidal waves awashed our feet;
A moment shared, remarkable!
So grand you slowly walked away...
My breath exhaled and time resumed.
By Margaret Bednar, Art Happens, May 4, 2011
5 comments:
Absolutely wonderful shots, Margaret.
i LOVED this!!! your shots are gorgeous. your poem made me shiver. i've so been in that same place. LOVED this!!!! perfect.
Lovely shots and I do like the poem. I've had two similar encounters with Great Blues -- they let me get quite close. They are amazing creatures.
A stunning series of photos of the heron Margaret and a wonderfully evocative poem to give real significance to the encounter. Brilliant!
I would have been in heaven, Margaret! We see herons quite often as we are out and about here, but you are so right. They almost always fly away by the time I get close enough to capture them well. Congratulations.
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