Green Heron Smokey Sunrise
This green heron was taken on a morning in Oregon when the skies were covered by smoke from the wildfires that are plaguing the area. The wind has changed directions during the evening which we are praying for relief from these deadly fires. Draught and very little snow fall last winter has made our wilderness a true tender box. Link for more information: http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2015/08/questions_raised_as_wildfires.html
The green heron is a small heron of North and Central America. It was long considered conspecific with its sister species the striated heron, and together they were called "green-backed heron". Birds of the nominate subspecies are extremely rare vagrants to western Europe; individuals from the Pacific coast of North America may similarly stray as far as Hawaii.
