Immature Tricolored Heron in October

Life on the shore made it difficult to resist spending hours in a blind or hidden in the high grasses to take in the incredible diversity of the region. I spent a lot of time exploring the developed areas of Assateague Island National Seashore for the first few months I lived near Ocean City but, at the time this photo was taken, I had recently begun to wander farther into the backcountry. This tricolored heron was fishing in a marsh just past the Tingles Island camping area and kept a close eye on me as it silently waded through the shallow water.