A break in the clouds, and a perfect moment

Viewfinder

By Jerry Jackson | Sun photographer

March 9, 2008

A pair of great blue herons exchange nesting duties just off the boardwalk at the Wakodahatchee Wetlands Park in Palm Beach County, Fla. (Sun photo by Jerry Jackson / January 21, 2008)

I'd like to say that I spent days traipsing through a swamp in January, looking for the best angle and waiting for the right light to portray a pair of nesting great blue herons.

But in reality, this photograph was taken amid south Florida's tract-home suburbia at a water treatment plant during the first 30 minutes of a three-day birding trip with my father.

I was a little apprehensive when he suggested we head to the 50-acre Wakodahatchee Wetlands Park in Delray Beach rather than the Everglades. The park was created in 1996 by Palm Beach County and is used to filter about 2 million gallons of reclaimed wastewater every day.

My father had never been there, but had heard that birds were abundant in this tiny refuge.

On a fairly overcast weekday, we arrived at dawn at a small parking lot hidden behind an industrial building on Jog Road. After hiking over a small berm, we could see most of the three-quarter-mile boardwalk ahead of us.

An anhinga, a diving bird often mistaken for a cormorant, flew up to the railing beside us to welcome us to his oasis. A hundred yards in, two dozen cattle egrets roosted in a tree on one of the many habitat islands.

A little farther in I set up my tripod in a wider section of the boardwalk to avoid a couple of power walkers wearing headphones. I focused on a great blue heron hunkered down in its nest and hoped for a break in the clouds.

As if on cue, sunlight warmed the scene and the lone heron stood up and looked as its mate flew in. Less than 30 seconds later, the warm light was gone.

But the trip was off to a great start.

jerry.jackson@baltsun.com