Blue Heron Sunrise Silhouette

A blue heron stands in the water of the Maumee River and is silhouetted agasint a foggy sunrise.
A blue heron stands in the water of the Maumee River and is silhouetted against a foggy sunrise. — J. Matthew Buchanan

I watched this blue heron fly into this spot just as I claimed mine on the banks of the Maumee River for a sunrise shoot. I didn’t have my gear out yet, so I figured I’d keep an eye on him and capture a shot as he left. Thoughts of a bird in flight shot against a backdrop of a perfect sunrise over the river validated my decision to come out so early. It was going to be a good day.

An hour or so later the sun finally poured over the trees on the opposite river bank and absolutely flooded the air and water with beautiful golden light. He was still there, in the exact same spot, and remained motionless. I quickly captured this silhouette, thinking I’d surely get the fly away shot soon. Nearly an hour after that I was ready to leave…and he remained standing in the same spot. I never saw him fly away but am thankful for the little waiting game we played because it gave me this photograph and its story.

Metadata

Published
April 19, 2026
Camera Make
Canon
Camera
Canon EOS R5m2
Lens
RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Focal Length
500mm
Aperture
f/7.1
Shutter Speed
1/2000s
ISO
ISO 320
Captured
August 24, 2025, 7:08 AM
Exposure Program
Manual
Metering Mode
Multi-segment
Flash
No Flash
White Balance
Auto
Creator
J. Matthew Buchanan
Sublocation
Side Cut Metropark
City
Maumee
State
Ohio
Country
United States
Copyright
Copyright 2025 J. Matthew Buchanan
Rights Usage Terms
All use of this image requires a license from the copyright holder.
Copyright URL
Web Statement of Rights