"A water snake glided smoothly up the pool, twisting its periscope head from side to side; and it swam the length of the pool and came to the legs of a motionless heron that stood in the shadows. A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically."
- John Steinbeck

This is a photo illustration essay of a heron with which I had the good fortune of spending some quality time while it enjoyed a snack. The images tell the story, so I will refrain from redundant blathering. Nature is not always kind or gentle, but it is always beautiful and humbling. It is not easy to sneak up on a heron; they actually are very thin-skinned and temperamental at times. Stealth is something that the heron and I share, and both of us used it to great success on this day: the heron to get its snack and me to capture these images.

© TS Ni hUiginn