Great blue herons are magnificent birds, with wingspans of 5-1/2 to 6-1/2 feet, and an ability to cruise at 20 to 30 miles an hour. While great blue herons hunt alone, they typically nest in colonies. NVCT owns one of the largest nesting sites in the Chesapeake area, the Potomac Creek Heronry in Stafford County, and the photos above are from a recent visit. The nests, made from sticks and other woody material, can be as big as four feet wide and three feet deep, and are perched 80 to 100 feet up in the tree canopy.
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