Blue Heron
As I watched him move carefully and methodically around the perimeter of our small pond, I couldn't help but see the striking similarity to his Cenozoic ancestors. He moved effortlessly; his perfectly designed, sleek head sat at the end of an elegant, elongated neck. It tilted and turned in quick short movements; his keen eyes honing in on the pond's inhabitants while also addressing the need to remain unseen.
A blue heron, and a dinosaur in the flesh through and through. While watching intently, I was suddenly jolted from this time travel with just two powerful thrusts of his wings. As he took his leave, I remained squinting into a murky future, but his wondrous past and breathtaking present served as an inspiration for the path ahead.
Photo: Dennis Church