I am obsessed with juvenile herons, and my absolute favorites area the juvenile green herons of Greenfield Lake. These elusive critters thrill me. Usually choosing the thick overgrowths of summer, near the base of water-bound cypress trees, they are rarely seen by visitors who stay on the walking paths of the exterior. But from a kayak, their activity becomes apparent. In the mid-summer, the nests will start seeing tuft-covered fledglings emerge on the low Cyprus branches discovering their new world! This one is affectionately called “Dandelion Head.”
I form a trust in my careful and steady approach to them and their curiosity of me allows me to get within a very close shooting range while the adults keep watch nearby. It is a joy to watch them grow, and because these birds are so elusive, I began documenting nesting grounds for the local Audubon chapters, a thrill for that young nature enthusiast still alive inside me.