Am I Gorgeous
by Deborah Benoit
Title
Am I Gorgeous
Artist
Deborah Benoit
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Published in the Internet Publication - http://paper.li/f-1343723559#
This beauty was perched on the dock in Port Orange, Florida enjoying the sun and wind.
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This species usually breeds in colonies, in trees close to lakes or other wetlands. Usually colonies include only Great Blue Herons though sometimes they nest alongside other species of herons. These groups are called heronry (a more specific term than "rookery"). The size of these colonies may be large, ranging between 5�500 nests per colony, with an average of approximately 160 nests per colony. Heronry are usually relatively close, usually within 4 to 5 km (2.5 to 3.1 mi), to ideal feeding spots.
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Great Blue Herons build a bulky stick nest, and the female lays three to six pale blue eggs. One brood is raised each year. If the nest is abandoned or destroyed, the female may lay a replacement clutch. Reproduction is negatively affected by human disturbance, particularly during the beginning of nesting. Repeated human intrusion into nesting areas often results in nest failure, with abandonment of eggs or chicks.
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Both parents feed the young at the nest by regurgitating food. Parent birds have been shown to consume up to four times as much food when they are feeding young chicks than when laying or incubating eggs.
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Eggs are incubated for around 28 days and hatch asynchronously over a period of several days. The first chick to hatch usually becomes more experienced in food handling and aggressive interactions with siblings, and so often grows more quickly than the other chicks. Predators of eggs and nestlings include turkey vultures, several corvids, hawks, bears and raccoons, the latter two also potential predators of adults. Adult herons, due to their size, have few natural predators, but can be taken by Bald Eagles, Golden Eagles and, less frequently, Great Horned Owls and Red-tailed Hawks. When predation on an adult or chick occurs at a breeding colony, the colony can be abandoned by the other birds, but this does not always occur.
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April 26th, 2012
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Viewed 937 Times - Last Visitor from Fairfield, CT on 04/25/2024 at 2:22 PM
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Comments (49)
Bruce Bley
What a beautiful close-up capture of this Great Blue Heron, Debbi. I love the composition, incredible detail, and the lighting. F/L
Anand Swaroop Manchiraju
Such a beautiful bold capture!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think it is rare opportunity you got to shoot like this.I like all your Bird photography.Congratulations on your Publications.
Nadine and Bob Johnston
Beautiful capture, thanks for giving us permission to use this beautiful presentation of your work in Artist News Group and to Publish it in the Internet Publication - http://paper.li/f-1343723559# it is very much appreciated. When you go to the paper, Just click SHARE, to subscribe or Tweet, Facebook, or even Email a copy to Friends, Relatives and others, so they can see the Publication in the ARTIST NEWS. This is one of our FAVORITES today... We may not always have the time to Comment, but just had to leave one on this beautiful piece of work.
Deborah Benoit replied:
Thank you both so much for this wonderful honor. I will share and appreciate your time and efforts!!!