Herons are the Ichabod Cranes of the bird world. Maybe that’s where Washington Irving got the idea for his Sleepy Hollow teacher. Tall and lanky, they are about three feet long and have a wingspan of over six feet. They are found all over the western hemisphere, even on the Galapagos Islands. Some migrate, and some stay where they are, even wintering in the snowy northern climes.
I like the way they fish, waiting and wading through the shallow waters, searching for their sushi, which they stab with their sharp pointed beaks. They are a lesson in patience. They have few enemies. Whenever I see one, they look like they are about to fall asleep or deliver the Gettysburg Address. Maybe it’s the dim light–they look for food usually at dawn and dusk. Unlike Ichabod, I doubt that they would be afraid of a headless ghost!
