Our Beautiful Neighbour

This beautiful Heron lives by the pond in The Praça Basílio Ceschin near the Bus Depot and the Chales, only 4 blocks from our house. She has a wonderful history in Águas da Prata. Judy has seen her here for 18 years.




Judy told me the story of how there used to be man who fed her on the bridge over the pond. She would come on the bridge and sit by him and eat out of his hand every afternoon.


This hazy afternoon she was standing by the pond watching my every move.




She is there nearly every day all year.




A few times we have noticed she has been "on vacation" traveling somewhere for a few days, but she always comes back. She likes to go fishing in the river by the pond.



She is very graceful in flight. When she flies she flies slowly flapping her big wings lazily.




She can stand patiently waiting a long time for food to swim by.




But she has been alone for many many years now.


When she is not by the pond or river she likes to fly up to the tree tops and perch there.




Sometimes she goes on vacation. From mid September she was gone for a week and a half. Then she returned.




I came across her fishing in the town lake where she lives.




I disturbed her hunting so she began to watch me.




I moved off and she went to the side of the lake and continued the hunt.





With the sun behind her it looks like she is wearing a diaphenous gown.


I never tire of watching this beautiful bird.



A couple days later this young guy came along and began to give her the eye.




He swam around looking at her then went a short distance off.




He then hopped up onto this dock so she could get a good look at him.




But she ignored him and continued fishing. Trying to pay no notice of him.




But young love will not be denied. He is seen here the next day, admiring her.




She may be playing hard to get. She just stands there and looks him over.




Four days later he has a friend show up. This lake is getting crowded.




So our Beautiful Neighbour takes flight. What a lovely site she is. See how graceful she is flying.




She flies to a tree to where she can watch everything from on high.




Photos by Urso Branco