First Herons

One of two first-of-the year herons spotted on the bank of the Sturgeon River, making itself look big for the geese swimming by. (Crop)

Colourful flight

A GBH lifts off the Sturgeon River and heads downstream through the early fall foliage. Sturgeon County.

Juvenile Heron

Fishing in the Surgeon River. Sturgeon County.

Early Fall on Big Lake

Technically it is still summer but the fall colours are starting to show. St Albert.

Golden heron

The golden light in the hour after sunrise highlights the GBH on Big Lake. St albert.

Dark flight

A very gloomy morning on the Sturgeon River, a GBH is contrasted against a clump of dead willows. St Albert.

Still here

A GBH in one of their most favoured spots on the Sturgeon River on a gloomy late summer morning. St Albert.

Spread out

The GBH family has spread out across Big Lake to get stocked up for their fall migration.

Trouble brewing

The arrival of this juvenile GBH does not bode well for the much smaller Black Crowned Night Heron. St Albert.

River Life

A grey morning scene on the Sturgeon River in St Albert near Big Lake.

Family day out

The family appeared to comprise of two adults and three juveniles. Here one of the adults seemed content that the young ones are learning to fend for themselves. Sturgeon River, St Albert.

Time out

One of two adults spending some time apart from the remainder of a family of five hunting for food in the Sturgeon River. St Albert.

Standing pretty

Wild flowers form a pretty backdrop for the GBH chilling out on the bank of the Sturgeon River. St Albert.

Riverscape

A Great Blue Heron hunts along the Sturgeon River and amongst the trees felled by spring floods and high winds. Sturgeon County.

River surprise

On my daily jaunt with dog we came across this heron hunting in a pool of relatively still water in the Sturgeon River. Note the river works in the background I think created by generations of beavers. Sturgeon County.

Supersized!

Unfortunately the heron was chased off the fish by a couple in a canoe who got too close to get their pictures, don't know what they think they were doing. Result was the waste of a fish and a still hungry heron. Sturgeon River, St Albert.

Statuesque

Is that a statue? was the question from a passer by (with a camera no less) after studying this heron fishing for a while. Sturgeon River, St Albert.

On the beaver lodge

This heron spent a few days in this location which is the large beaver lodge at the exit of Big Lake into the Sturgeon River. St Albert.

Group feeding

This heron didn't seem to mind the ducks moving as it fished in the Sturgeon River in St Albert. (focus stacked composite)

Smoky Flight

Forest fire smoke lends some ambiance as the heron flies off up the Sturgeon River towards Big Lake. St Albert.