Great Blue Heron: Venice Bird Rookery; Venice, Florida – The Venice Bird Rookery is a must visit site for the bird photographer (also see post for April 4, 2010). The best time to visit is February when the rookery host breeding species of herons that include: Great Blue, Little Blue, Green, and Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Cattle and Common Egrets, and Anhingas also nest in the rookery. Late winter shows a dramatic increase in breeding behavior at the rookery. These Great Blue Herons in this image are building a nest, and the male had just arrived with a branch as I shot this image. The male (left), is giving the female the branch which she adds to the nest. This ritual behavior, passing the branch from one partner to the other also strengthens the pair bond between the two birds. Also note aigrette plumes on the birds neck and back, the pinkish legs and the blue cere at the base of the bill. These features indicate that the herons are in full breeding plumage.
Nikon F5, 500mm f4, Ektachorme VS
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