very complex courting rituals and work together to make a nest and feed the chicks . He decides on the site and gathers most of the material for the nest ; she mostly builds it . Both parents feed the young before they leave the nest in about 40-80 days .
Unfortunately , man ’ s relationship with the Great Blue Heron has not always been respectful . Between the 1870s and mid-1920s due to fashion trends that included elegantly appointed women ’ s hats , many herons and egrets were hunted to near extinction for their plumes . Adult Great Blue Herons were hunted for feathers to adorn hats , with baby chicks left to fend for themselves .
According to North American Native tradition , the Great Blue Heron brings messages of selfdetermination and self-reliance . “ The long thin legs of the heron reflect that an individual doesn ’ t need great massive pillars to remain stable , but must be able to
stand on one ’ s own .” ( Blue Heron Environmental )
So , my ancestors and friends visit to remind me to rely on myself and stand on my own . That feels a bit lonely and not exactly true to the joy these avian visits bring . At five feet short , I do not have pillars to ground me . I do need to reflect more on the future I want to create and the path I wish to take . I know I ’ m not the only one who walks the canal searching for answers and guidance . We fellow travelers lift our desires and wishes up to the skies . Perhaps the Great Blue Heron snatches these up and communicates them to an ancestor or friend .
It ’ s now a beautiful spring day , and my canal walk is disturbed by families the full path abreast , runners startling me as they race by , and bikers barking “ on your left !” I ’ m thoroughly annoyed by the invasion , until I reach a favorite bend in the canal with a vista that reveals the majestic expanse of the Potomac River and Sycamore Island on the right . A spot to find solace . But someone has a better idea .
Another splendid Great Blue Heron swooshes by and scoops my thoughts up on broad wings . I follow her up the canal and reminisce with an old friend about our adventures in high school , concerts at Fort Reno , and the Frye boots we both saved for working through high school as teens . I catch her up on our music adventures and tell her about the house concert her husband gave at our house . She works me through a current problem in an attentive way . But no rosy glossing from her , just straight to the point and hard truth . I miss her dearly , but the Great Blue Heron brought her back to me for a short trip down the C & O .
Julie Littell has lived along the Potomac River and C & O Canal for much of her adult life . She considers the Great Blue Heron her spirit animal .