Today by my parents’ house I spotted a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). This species is highly adaptable and ranges widely across the US year-round. They prefer marshland habitat and mostly nest in trees. It is the largest of the North American herons, but despite their size, they typically weigh around 5 pounds partially due to their hollow bones. The oldest documented Great Blue Heron was found in Texas, aged at least 24 years and 6 months old. I’ve always enjoyed watching their slow, deliberate walk through the water searching for something to eat, similar to their calm, unhurried wingbeats when they take flight.
www.inaturalist.org/observations/4143234