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)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Lago-di-Alviano-The-Hall-of-Einar-8225-725x483.jpg)
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)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Lago-di-Alviano-The-Hall-of-Einar-8204.jpg)
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)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Lago-di-Alviano-The-Hall-of-Einar-7851-725x483.jpg)
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)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Lago-di-Alviano-The-Hall-of-Einar-8192-725x483.jpg)
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)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Lago-di-Alviano-The-Hall-of-Einar-8199-725x483.jpg)
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)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Lago-di-Alviano-The-Hall-of-Einar-7967.jpg)
And their exotic back feathers?
![Grey Heron - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Lago-di-Alviano-The-Hall-of-Einar-7816-725x725.jpg)
Beautiful.