L’airone cenerino

The Grey Herons at Lago di Alviano are studious. Nothing disturbs their concentration:

Grey Heron - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

They are tense, waiting for that exact moment when they can…

Grey Heron - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)
Splash!

This one doesn’t even notice when a Sacred Ibis nearly lands on top of it:

Grey Heron - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

There’s something beautifully ungainly and bizarrely balletic about their landing:

Grey Heron - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

And their wingspan is impressive when they stall their flight and splashdown:

Grey Heron - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Their crest is comical and their breast feathers long and decorative:

Grey Heron - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

And their exotic back feathers?

Grey Heron - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Beautiful.

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