One early morning, I drove out to visit a pond area hoping to see some waterfowl. My efforts in waking up before the golden hour were awarded with my first Great Blue Heron sighting! I was captivated by how majestic these birds are with their statue-like and dignified profile.
The heron decided to fly to another spot in the pond, the first step required it to spread its very large wings. Oh I should mention, I am by no means an expert in understanding how birds fly. In sharing my experience and pictures, my hope is to inspire the same feelings of awe I had in anyone who is reading this post.
The next step in the flight process involves the heron lifting its legs off the ground and simultaneously flapping its wings to momentarily support itself in mid-air, amazing! All About Birds reports Great Blue Herons can weigh between 74.1 to 88.2oz which is about 4.6 to 5.5lbs. To overcome the force of gravity for a second to keep a 5lb object suspended in midair momentarily means a substantial amount of force is coming from those wings!!!
The Heron flaps its wings to propel itself forward. At the same time, it made a loud call perhaps to inform the other birds it was coming through or declaring the spot where it intends to land. The reasons are not known to me, but it was an unexpected treat to experience in the moment!
Wing flaps continue as the Heron propels itself to its desired location. Moving a 5lb object through the air against the force of gravity using muscles to move bones and delicate feathers made of keratin (same type of protein used to create our fingernails!) to create lift, thrust, and reduce drag to is nothing short of astonishing.
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