Snowy River with a Bonus Heron

I couldn’t stop taking pictures

Heron in Boise River, January 10, 2024. © life+wild.

We got our first real taste of this winter a few days ago. I hustled out with my camera and trudged through the snow to one of my reliable wildlife spots. Sure enough, a heron obligingly stood in the icy river, preening itself.

I can’t decide whether it’s a good or bad thing to have digital at my disposal. Just ten minutes of capturing a subject as photogenic as this turns into hours of ruminating about which images to keep and which to ditch. With film, one had to be judicious about pulling the trigger, but now, the only limitations are battery power, memory capacity, and the threat of frostbite.

However, I finally managed to decide on a photo to share, and I hope that it conveys the exhilaration I felt while spending time with such a magnificent bird.

Happy New Year to everyone, and may 2024 be a year of compassion and connection!