Great Blue Heron Resting in Late Afternoon

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is massive, spanning over 30,000 acres, and is home to over 250 species of birds throughout the year and has been dubbed as the "Everglades of the North" for its rich biodiversity. Tourists that travel through the refuge by foot, bicycle, or car can comfortably view birds and other wildlife along the 3.6 mile paved road that winds its way along the Blackwater River. The period between late winter and early spring is bustling with migratory waterfowl that will soon depart for the North and early arriving songbirds from the South. Great Blue Herons, along with Bald Eagles, are typically year-round residents of the area and this one, spotted just along Wildlife Drive, rests on an unusually warm February day shortly before the start of the breeding season.