The great blue heron is one of my favorite birds, due in no small part to the fact there is a rookery near where I live. Here is a shot of one in action at the Octoraro Lake in Chester County. Note the bonus great blues in the background, as well as a faint great egret.

The great blue heron (Ardea herodias) is a large wading bird in the heron family (Ardeidae), common near shores of open water and wetlands over most of North and Central America, as well as Northwestern South America, the Caribbean, and the Galápagos Islands. It is occasionally found in the Azores and is a rare vagrant to Europe.
They are fairly easy to find in Pennsylvania if you know where to look. Coupled with their majestic, but positively prehistoric looks, the great blues are a favorite.

