Susan Kirby

Great Blue Herons

The great blue herons are fascinating birds, as you can see in this Audubon link. It was one of the first "unusual" birds I discovered in Central Park, and was one of the first birds featured in a Silly Video.

Great Blue Heron Walkabouts at Green-Wood Cemetery

In September and October, I visited Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn and was ever so happy to see that a young great blue heron had discovered the Tranquility Garden and the pond stocked with beautiful koi. While these expensive fish were not put in the pond for the heron to eat, the heron didn't know that, and since the pond was not covered, the heron would sit above the water or stand in the water, deciding which tasty morsel he would grab for lunch. This heron, and another who fished at Dell and Crescent Waters, were featured in a short video, and many, many photos.

The music used in the video is by Chopin, 3 Ecossaises and Bourée No. 1, performed by Aya Higuchi, and obtained from MusOpen.org, a royalty-free music source. The photos in the next grouping are of the great blue heron at Tranquility Garden. Following that are photos of the same heron at Valley Water. The third grouping is the heron at Dell Water and Crescent Water.

On Dec. 20, 2018, a great blue heron flew over the Pond and landed at the south end, then proceeded to waltz up the water before taking off again.

Great Blue Herons With Attitude at Inwood Hill Park and Mount Loretto

In early 2022, I had the chance to photograph great blue herons in north Manhattan and on Staten Island. This slideshow has photos from February 11 (Staten Island) and February 12 (Inwood Hill Park).

Staten Island Posing

Sometimes great blue herons seem to be contortionists, twisting their long necks and bodies into all sorts of shapes. This beautiful great blue heron was posing in Cunningham Pond at Mount Loretto Unique Area on Staten Island on June 24, 2021.

A Great Blue Heron at Green-Wood Cemetery

There is a pool at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn called Sylvan Water. On Sept. 28, 2016, a great blue heron was studying the water at the little pond, hoping for fish.

The Filming the Feathers video of this handsome heron features some flight shots. It is set to music by Grieg.

These photos are also of the Green-Wood heron.

I have seen great blue herons in Central Park, Prospect Park, Inwood Park (at Muscota Marsh) and Green-Wood Cemetery. There might have been sightings in other locations. I will be posting more videos and photos at some point of some of these birds.

The Great Blue Herons in Central Park

Central Park is a stopover for great blue herons throughout the year. My favorite place to watch them is the Pond at 59th Street, but we can see them at the Lake, the Meer, Turtle Pond, and sometimes the Reservoir.

One of the first Silly Videos I did is called My Blue Heron. I filmed it on my Samsung cellphone on Jan. 13, 2013. This video featured a great blue heron seen at the Upper Lobe of the Lake, as well as other locations around the Lake.