We saw a great blue heron!

I am reliably informed by the lovely Manon that the bird we saw on the bank of Dow's Lake this morning was a great blue heron. That seems to be confirmed by checking page 4 of the Bird Identification Guide from Forests Canada.

Manon has kindly been accompanying me to Dow's Lake once or twice a week all summer so that I can have a swim. I'm used to having ducks and geese nearby, even the occasional loon, but seeing the heron was extra special.

If you're interested in going for a swim, I can tell you that I have not come down with any itchy conditions or other problems. Mind you, I only go when there has been no rain for 24 hours before. (Which has been a challenge this summer.) On the other hand, I am heavily immuno-suppressed these days, and you probably have a well functioning immune system. So even though at least one wildlife expert I know is reluctant to swim in Dow's Lake, I think it's fine.

Here's another photo that gives a better idea of how close the heron was. There's a Canada goose at the left of the photo. After I took this photo it started staring at me. Manon believes it was thinking "What's the matter? Do you not want pictures of me and my family?"