It seems in the past few years I have seen more Great Blue Herons in the sky above Broad Ripple. With the number of retention ponds, the river, streams, and small lakes in the area, it's no wonder that we have an abundance of these magnificent birds.

Did you know the Great Blue Heron's wing span is 65-80 inches, in the range of six feet? They have long legs (standing as tall as 54 inches), "S" shaped necks, shaggy feathers on their necks and backs, and the male and female look alike. Their slate-gray bodies with chestnut and black accents cut a distinct figure in the landscape. There is a white form of this bird known as the Great White Heron. These white herons are usually sighted in Florida and not in Indiana.

The Great Blue Heron is fun to watch whether flying or finding food. When you spot one along the shoreline, you may often observe it standing as silently and still as a statue, waiting patiently for prey. With luck, you may even see it stabbing an unlucky fish with a lightning-fast lunge. You may also get to watch the majestic creature then deliberately and slowly stalking a next meal. The whole process looks like a choreographed ballet.

I once experienced an up-close-and-personal brush with a Great Blue Heron at an outdoor graduation party. My friends' house, situated on a cul-de-sac, was bordered by a small woods containing a running stream. As the host was giving me a tour of the yard, we came upon a blue heron standing on the bank of the stream. The heron was teaching its young one to fish and look for small delicacies like mice. "Our neighborhood heron has raised several broods on the banks of our wooded stream. It has been amazing to watch them feed the young ones and then teach them to feed themselves," shared my friend. I couldn't help thinking, "What a wonderful backyard experience!"

Whenever I spot a blue heron silhouette overhead, I always give it my undivided attention, following its lumbering flight. I never tire of observing this bird and noting where it is going. The Great Blue Heron has infiltrated our lives by becoming a name for housing additions, lakes, and streets. Its likeness is the inspiration for weathervanes, wind chimes, birdbaths, gardens ornaments, and art work. When you see one, take a moment to relish it. You are watching the largest and most prevalent heron in North America.