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Kort Duce

@kortduce.bsky.social

5.4K followers 1.3K following 12K posts

I have been a professional photographer and artist for over 25 years. I have worked at newspapers, magazines and now freelance. I love art. www.kortduce.com Longmont, Colorado

Posts Replies Media

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 10h

A great blue heron pauses while fishing at sunrise at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #BestOfTheMonth #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Photo by Kort Duce

A great blue heron pauses while fishing at sunrise at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado.

In this vertical color photograph, a great blue heron faces the camera with its head turned to its right, revealing the left side of its face. Its gracefully curved neck forms a beautiful backward “S” shape. The heron’s reflection appears in the water below, where clumps of green algae float on the surface. A softly blurred wall of cattails fills the background, providing a natural setting that complements the heron.

A beautiful portrait of a great blue heron in the wetland habitat it depends on for survival.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 11h

A great blue heron fishes during sunrise at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #BestOfTheMonth #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

A great blue heron fishes from a branch jutting out of the water from a submerged tree at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #EFG #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #BIF #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

A great blue heron flies across a pond at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #StunDay #BirdOfTheDay #Airborne #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #BIF #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

A great blue heron stands in a grass field in Longmont, Colorado. #StunDay #BirdOfTheDay #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Two double-crested cormorants fight over a perch at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #StunDay #BirdOfTheDay #Seabirds #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #cormorant #cormorants

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

An American white pelican leisurely fishes at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #Stunday #BirdOfTheDay #Seabirds #bird #birds #birdphotography #ECK #nature #wildlife #BirdsSeenln2026 #wildlifephotography #pelican #pelicans

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Two young barn swallows interact with each other at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #Pairs #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #BirdsSeenln2026

Photo by Kort Duce

Two young barn swallows interact with each other at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado.

In this horizontal color photograph, two young barn swallows perch on a dead branch that enters the frame from the lower right and curves upward toward the left center. One swallow perches atop the curved end of the branch, while the other sits below it near the center of the frame. The swallow on the right repeatedly pecks at and harasses the one on the left. Eventually, the left swallow opens its beak in retaliation, confronting its tormentor at close range.

Without this explanation, viewers might interpret the interaction in different ways. What is going on between these two young birds? Is it a squabble, a display of dominance, or perhaps even a budding romance? The photograph captures a moment that leaves room for interpretation.

The background is a brilliant blue sky, characteristic of Colorado’s 300-plus days of sunshine each year.

A beautiful and intriguing moment between two young barn swallows perched on a dead branch beside a wetland habitat so vital to their survival.

Photo by Kort Duce

Two young barn swallows interact with each other at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado.

In this horizontal color photograph, two young barn swallows perch on a dead branch that enters the frame from the lower right and curves upward toward the left center. One swallow perches atop the curved end of the branch, while the other sits below it near the center of the frame. The swallow on the right repeatedly pecks at and harasses the one on the left. Eventually, the left swallow opens its beak in retaliation, confronting its tormentor at close range.

Without this explanation, viewers might interpret the interaction in different ways. What is going on between these two young birds? Is it a squabble, a display of dominance, or perhaps even a budding romance? The photograph captures a moment that leaves room for interpretation.

The background is a brilliant blue sky, characteristic of Colorado’s 300-plus days of sunshine each year.

A beautiful and intriguing moment between two young barn swallows perched on a dead branch beside a wetland habitat so vital to their survival.

Photo by Kort Duce

Two young barn swallows interact with each other at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado.

In this horizontal color photograph, two young barn swallows perch on a dead branch that enters the frame from the lower right and curves upward toward the left center. One swallow perches atop the curved end of the branch, while the other sits below it near the center of the frame. The swallow on the right repeatedly pecks at and harasses the one on the left. Eventually, the left swallow opens its beak in retaliation, confronting its tormentor at close range.

Without this explanation, viewers might interpret the interaction in different ways. What is going on between these two young birds? Is it a squabble, a display of dominance, or perhaps even a budding romance? The photograph captures a moment that leaves room for interpretation.

The background is a brilliant blue sky, characteristic of Colorado’s 300-plus days of sunshine each year.

A beautiful and intriguing moment between two young barn swallows perched on a dead branch beside a wetland habitat so vital to their survival.

Photo by Kort Duce

Two young barn swallows interact with each other at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado.

In this horizontal color photograph, two young barn swallows perch on a dead branch that enters the frame from the lower right and curves upward toward the left center. One swallow perches atop the curved end of the branch, while the other sits below it near the center of the frame. The swallow on the right repeatedly pecks at and harasses the one on the left. Eventually, the left swallow opens its beak in retaliation, confronting its tormentor at close range.

Without this explanation, viewers might interpret the interaction in different ways. What is going on between these two young birds? Is it a squabble, a display of dominance, or perhaps even a budding romance? The photograph captures a moment that leaves room for interpretation.

The background is a brilliant blue sky, characteristic of Colorado’s 300-plus days of sunshine each year.

A beautiful and intriguing moment between two young barn swallows perched on a dead branch beside a wetland habitat so vital to their survival.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Double-crested cormorants perch at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #Pairs #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #cormorant #cormorants

Photo by Kort Duce

Double-crested cormorants perch at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado.

In this vertical color photograph, the viewer looks across a pond at two double-crested cormorants silhouetted in opposite directions as they perch on a branch extending from a submerged, fallen tree in the lower-left quadrant of the frame.

Across the far background, occupying the upper half of the image, is a skyline of rectangular and angular grain elevators that serve as reminders of the area's agricultural heritage.

The pond was once a rock quarry used to mine river rock for cement aggregate. Today, the former quarry has been transformed into a wetland and designated nature area.

The grain elevators are reflected in the pond's rippled water, adding depth, perspective, and visual interest to the composition. Their presence also connects the area's industrial and agricultural past with its present-day role as valuable wildlife habitat.

A beautiful scenic photograph of two double-crested cormorants enjoying a wetland habitat so vital to their survival.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

A great blue heron flies low over a pond at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #FlyDay #BirdOfTheDay #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdwatching #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

An osprey perches above a pond at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #TheDivers #BirdStare #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

A double-crested cormorant perches on a root from a submerged tree at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #TheDivers #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

A turkey vulture opens its beak and extends its tongue while perched on a dead snag near St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #Redheads #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdwatching #birdsofbluesky #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

A great blue heron fishes and hunts along the shore of a pond at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #LightAndShadow #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

A great blue heron portrait at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #LightAndShadow #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

“I believe I can fly!” #BirdOfTheDay #CaptionThatBird #ECK

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

A male yellow-headed blackbird perches on a weathered fence post at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #Elegant #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #BirdsSeenIn2026 #wetland #wetlands #blackbird #blackbirds #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Late-summer cattail leaves anchor the edge of a pond as an American white pelican floats by at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #pelican #pelicans

Photo by Kort Duce

Late-summer cattail leaves anchor the edge of a pond as an American white pelican floats by at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado.

In this horizontal color photograph, a row of bright green cattail leaves rises across the lower portion of the frame, with most of the leaves in focus. Behind them, dark pond water provides a striking contrast to the vibrant green foliage. In the upper-left quadrant, an American white pelican cruises across the water, intentionally rendered completely blurred, with its reflection visible below. The far background consists of pond water reflecting the opposite shoreline in varying shades of green and earthy tones from the clay bank.

A beautiful moment in nature featuring cattail leaves and an American white pelican moving through a wetland habitat so vital to its existence.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

A great blue heron shakes out its feathers after an unsuccessful dive for a fish at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #Scruffy #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

A great blue heron flies across a pond during sunrise at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #FlyDay #BirdOfTheDay #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdwatching #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Fall is here: A great blue heron pauses while hunting and fishing along the bank of a pond at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #Scape #ForestFriday #FlyDay #BirdOfTheDay #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Double-crested cormorants perch in a tree at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. •In the background is Longs Peak in RMNP. #Scape #ForestFriday #FlyDay #BirdOfTheDay #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands

Photo by Kort Duce

Double-crested cormorants perch in a tree at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado.

In this horizontal color photograph, the viewer looks across a pond toward a small island where a dead tree still stands vertically, supporting about a dozen double-crested cormorants perched among its branches. The opposite shoreline stretches across the frame, lined with deciduous trees. In the far background, the mountains of Rocky Mountain National Park rise above the prairie. In the left quadrant, the distinctive twin peaks of Longs Peak and Mount Meeker are visible. The mountains are shrouded in deep shade, while dark clouds hang overhead and a bright band of clouds catches the warm morning sunlight.

A beautiful landscape photograph of double-crested cormorants utilizing a wetland habitat on the prairie so vital to their existence.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

A great blue heron takes flight at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #FlyDay #ClassicMono #Monochrome #BW #BlackandWhite #BirdOfTheDay #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #BirdsSeenIn2026 #nature #wildlife #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Photo by Kort Duce

A great blue heron takes flight at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado.

In this vertical black-and-white photograph, a great blue heron fills the frame from behind as it leaps into flight, its wings extending beyond the edges of the frame. Its feet have just left the water, creating a small splash as droplets fly throughout the lower portion of the image. The heron’s feet are also reflected in the water below. Its tail feathers are spread apart, with the morning light shining through them. The background consists of pond water with very faint ripples that create a mesmerizing pattern.

A beautiful action photograph of a great blue heron in the wetland habitat so vital to its existence.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

A Canada goose portrait at sunrise in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #ODG #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdwatching #birdsofbluesky #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

A juvenile great horned owl perches right before dusk in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #ODG #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdwatching #birdsofbluesky #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Photo by Kort Duce

A juvenile great horned owl perches just before dusk in Longmont, Colorado.

In this vertical color photograph, the owl fills the frame as it faces the camera, with the lower quarter of its body cropped out of the frame. It looks intensely past the camera toward the photographer’s dogs, its ear tufts raised high as it remains alert to their presence. The background is a softly blurred cottonwood tree trunk, creating a simple, natural backdrop that keeps the viewer’s attention on the owl’s striking expression.

A beautiful portrait of a juvenile great horned owl in its prairie habitat, so vital to its existence.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

A great blue heron stretches its long legs and wings, one side at a time, while perching at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #BirdyLongLegs #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

A turkey vulture yawns while perched on a dead snag near St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdwatching #birdsofbluesky #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

A great blue heron spears a fish just behind its eyes at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

A male northern flicker pauses while searching for its next meal in a decaying tree along St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdofTheDay #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #woodpecker #woodpeckers #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #birdsofbluesky #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Photo by Kort Duce

A male northern flicker pauses while searching for its next meal in a decaying tree along St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado.

In this vertical color photograph, a dead tree with leafless branches rises through the center of the frame. In the upper-left quadrant, a male northern flicker clings to the small main trunk as it searches the decaying wood for insects and spiders. The whimsical, delicate branches surrounding the flicker add an ornate quality and visual interest to the composition. The background is a brilliant blue sky with translucent clouds drifting through the scene.

A beautiful portrait of a male northern flicker hunting among the decaying branches of a riparian habitat so vital to its existence.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A great blue heron perches at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #Silhoutte #ClassicMono #Monochrome #BW #BlackandWhite #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

"One small step for a bird, one giant leap for a chick!” A killdeer chick climbs along the shoreline of a pond at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #RockinTuesday #BirdOfTheDay #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #birdwatching #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Double-crested cormorants perch at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #Silhoutte #ClassicMono #Monochrome #BW #BlackandWhite #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #cormorant #cormorants

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

A mother great horned owl watches over her juvenile as it squawks at the photographer in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #Mamas&Papas #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Photo by Kort Duce

A mother great horned owl watches over her juvenile as it squawks at the photographer in Longmont, Colorado.

In this horizontal color photograph, a juvenile great horned owl perches on a wooden fence post facing the camera with its beak wide open as it squawks. Behind it, perched on the fence rail, its mother extends her wings downward while keeping a watchful eye on her young. The background features a large tree trunk in the center of the frame, surrounded by green leaves on both sides. Small, leafless branches descend from above and extend upward along the right side, adding texture and depth to the scene.

A beautiful moment between two great horned owls residing in prairie and wetland habitat so vital to their survival.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

A turkey vulture suns its wings while perching above St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado. #BlueSkyMonday #BirdOfTheDay #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

A great blue heron portrait during sunrise at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #StunDay #BirdOfTheDay #MyBestSide #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

A great blue heron angrily squawks at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #StunDay #BirdOfTheDay #AngryBirds #MyBestSide #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Two double-crested cormorants quarrel over a perch at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #StunDay #BirdOfTheDay #AngryBirds #MyBestSide #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

A young Cooper’s hawk perches on a dead branch over St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #AngryBirds #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Photo by Kort Duce

A young Cooper’s hawk perches on a dead branch over St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado.

In this vertical color photograph, the hawk is perched just past center frame on a dead branch that rises from the lower left corner before branching several times near where the hawk sits. Facing the camera, the young hawk stares directly into the lens with an intense, almost angry expression. The background is a brilliant blue sky illuminated by the soft light of early morning, while blurred green leaves frame the left side of the photograph.

An intriguing portrait of a young Cooper’s hawk in its natural riparian habitat, so vital to its survival.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

A common grackle is lost within an abstract formation of exposed tree roots from a fallen tree at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #BirdsInAbstract #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

An American white pelican relaxes and preens at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdofTheDay #BirdslnAbstract #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #birdwatching #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #pelican #pelicans

Photo by Kort Duce

An American white pelican relaxes and preens at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado.

In this vertical color photograph, a pelican is perched on a log extending from the water, its back toward the camera and its tail feathers obscuring most of its legs and feet. Reflected in the blue water beneath the brilliant blue sky is the pelican’s entire body and head, creating an almost mirror-like double image.

I photographed thousands of frames to capture and ultimately cull for the sharpest reflection. It was a challenging process because the water was constantly undulating, continuously changing the focus, clarity, and appearance of the reflection. A very slight movement in the water remains visible, giving the reflection a subtle sense of motion.

The pelican holds its neck gracefully upright with its bill pointed downward. A small specular highlight in its eye brings the bird to life and draws the viewer into the otherwise quiet scene.

A beautiful, quiet, and artistic moment of an American white pelican relaxing on a perch in a wetland habitat so vital to its existence.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

A great blue heron moves position to fish at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #ClassicMono #Monochrome #BW #BlackandWhite #BirdOfTheDay #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Photo by Kort Duce

A great blue heron moves into position to fish at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado.

In this horizontal black-and-white photograph, the viewer looks out across a pond. In the lower-right quadrant, a heron is silhouetted on a branch jutting out of the water from a submerged fallen tree. Facing the camera with its head turned to its left, the heron appears poised to fish, with one foot or its talons just touching the water.

Across the far background, a silhouetted skyline of rectangular and angular grain elevators rises above the horizon, remnants of the area’s agrarian history. The pond itself was once a rock quarry used to mine river rock for cement aggregate. Today, the former quarry has been transformed into a wetland and designated nature area.

The grain elevators are abstractly reflected in the pond’s rippled water, adding depth, perspective, and visual interest to the scene while connecting the area’s industrial and agricultural past with its present-day role as wildlife habitat.

A beautiful black-and-white scenic photograph of a great blue heron utilizing a wetland habitat so vital to its existence.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

A great blue heron is silhouetted as it perches at sunrise on a small submerged tree in a pond at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #BirdsInAbstract #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #BirdsSeenln2026 #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Photo by Kort Duce

A great blue heron is silhouetted as it perches at sunrise on a small submerged tree in a pond at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado.

In this vertical color photograph, the viewer looks down and across a pond as the early morning sun reflects off the rippled water, creating a broad swath of shimmering glare. In the lower left quadrant, a great blue heron stands on a small submerged tree, its many bare branches extending across the bottom of the frame. The heron faces the camera with its head and neck turned to its left, revealing the right side of its face. Its neck forms a graceful "S" curve, and its head is slightly bowed with its beak pointing downward.

The water throughout the image is textured with ripples created by a gentle breeze. The opposing shoreline occupies the top of the frame and remains in deep shadow, creating a striking contrast with the brilliant sunlight. Just below the top of the image, the sun's reflection breaks through the darkness and stretches downward across the pond, bathing the scene in warm golden and amber tones that evoke the tranquility of sunrise.

This beautiful portrait captures a poised and majestic great blue heron in its natural wetland habitat, an ecosystem that is vital to its survival.

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

At sunrise, a great blue heron takes flight from its perch above the pond and heads toward the shore at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #FlyDay #BirdOfTheDay #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdwatching #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

A great blue heron chokes down a large fish at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #FlyDay #BirdOfTheDay #Mouthful #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

A double-crested cormorant dries its wings at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdofTheDay #Black&White #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #birdwatching #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

A young barn swallow begs as another barn swallow flies by at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #ABCD #RSTU #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Two birds of a feather? I don’t think so… A territorial male red-winged blackbird rides - and attacks - the back of a Canada goose at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #BirdBuddies #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

A great blue heron prepares to launch into flight at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #Herons&Egrets #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

A great blue heron perches on a large tree stump at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #Herons&Egrets #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons

Kort Duce @kortduce.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

A great blue heron pauses while getting into position to fish at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #Herons&Egrets #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wetland #wetlands #heron #herons