Gallery Spotlight
GHOST OF THE ST. JOHNS RIVER
By Kim B. Parrish
© 2020 – 48 x 30” Oil on Canvas
GREAT BLUE HERON
Ardea herodias Linnaeus
Protected by U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act
As the tallest wading bird in North America, the stately great blue heron commands respect, and I love the subtle colors in their feathers. Standing 4 feet tall, with a 6 foot wingspan, great blue herons make their living from Florida’s extensive waterways. With a huge bill over five inches long, they can actually impale their prey, which includes fish, snakes, rodents and even small birds.
Like other wading birds in Florida, great blue herons—along with their young and eggs—are being attacked and eaten by invasive reptiles such as Burmese pythons.
My original wading heron art, “Ghost Of The St. Johns River” is 48 x 30 inches on canvas, portraying a great blue heron hunting the shallows beneath a canopy of Spanish moss. Some of my paintings are also available as limited edition reproductions. Thanks for your interest in my work, and I hope you enjoy the beauty of Florida’s birds.