The Bird Collection

Black-crowned Night Heron

Upstream Light – Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron, Rivière du Chêne

That afternoon, I returned to a quiet stretch of river where herons often gather to fish. One by one, they arrived—silent, focused, all facing downstream, their backs to the fading sun.

Patiently, very still, I watched and waited. Finally this juvenile landed and turned to face the golden light. The setting sun caught his feathers just right, casting a soft glow across his downy breast and catching the glint in his eye.

It was a small, simple movement—but it changed everything. In that shift of direction, the image I had hoped for finally appeared.