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Helen Betts | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Birds at Constitution Gardens on the National Mall tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Birds at Constitution Gardens on the National Mall

After Tim spotted a great blue heron in an artificial lake in Constitution Gardens on the National Mall the other day, we went down there on Wednesday armed with cameras to try to find him again. Not only did we find the heron, but also several cormorants and countless geese and ducks. It was pretty amazing to see the heron and cormorants on the mall as there aren’t any large fish in the water, but they seemed to make do with hunting tiny prey.

Needless to say, we took a lot of pictures over the course of a couple of hours, so this gallery will be ongoing for a while.
Me and my friend the great blue heron
Me and my friend the great blue heron		 Great blue heron with catch
Great blue heron with catch		 That eye
That eye		 Rapt attention
Rapt attention
Intent
Intent		 The strike
The strike		 Success!
Success!		 Another point of view
Another point of view
In the shadow of the Washington Monument
In the shadow of the Washington Monument		 Showing off that iridescent color
Showing off that iridescent color		 Catching the light
Catching the light		 The gaggle
The gaggle
Cormorant capades: Racing ahead (1/4)
Cormorant capades: Racing ahead (1/4)		 Cormorant capades: Resurfacing (2/4)
Cormorant capades: Resurfacing (2/4)		 Cormorant capades: Taking a breather (3/4)
Cormorant capades: Taking a breather (3/4)		 Cormorant capades: Air dry (4/4)
Cormorant capades: Air dry (4/4)
The strike (1/8)
The strike (1/8)		 The commotion (2/8)
The commotion (2/8)		 The catch (3/8)
The catch (3/8)		 The meal (4/8)
The meal (4/8)
Deep 'dive' (5/8)
Deep 'dive' (5/8)		 The snack (6/8)
The snack (6/8)		 Positioning (7/8)
Positioning (7/8)		 Down the gullet (8/8)
Down the gullet (8/8)
Not his best side
Not his best side		 Surrounded
Surrounded		 The contortionist
The contortionist		 Showing off
Showing off
Keeping an eye out
Keeping an eye out		 Classic
Classic		 Portrait of a heron
Portrait of a heron		 The struggle
The struggle
Bonanza
Bonanza		 Ready to pounce
Ready to pounce		 Portrait of a cormorant
Portrait of a cormorant		 The pose
The pose
Living in reflections of grandeur
Living in reflections of grandeur		 Just chillin'
Just chillin'		 Salad
Salad		 Fall on the Mall
Fall on the Mall
Postscript: Heading back to the lake
Postscript: Heading back to the lake		 Postscript: Heron contemplating his next move
Postscript: Heron contemplating his next move		 Postscript: Apparition of the heron
Postscript: Apparition of the heron		 Postscript: Out of its element
Postscript: Out of its element
Bad hair day
Bad hair day		 Taking in the sun
Taking in the sun		 Dramatic pose
Dramatic pose		 Coming and going
Coming and going
If you've got an itch, scratch it!
If you've got an itch, scratch it!		 The search
The search		 Buddies
Buddies		 The glare
The glare
The heron made it into The Washington Post!
The heron made it into The Washington Post!		 The entertainers
The entertainers		 The celebrity heron
The celebrity heron		 Sitting pretty
Sitting pretty
Soldiering on
Soldiering on		 The survivor
The survivor		 Me and the heron
Me and the heron		 More than just a leaf
More than just a leaf
Down the hatch
Down the hatch		 Was it something I said?
Was it something I said?		 Behind the curtain
Behind the curtain		 The ballerina
The ballerina
The punk heron
The punk heron		 Chilly cormorant
Chilly cormorant		 Face-on
Face-on		 The gang
The gang
The model mallard
The model mallard		 The beautiful Mrs. Mallard
The beautiful Mrs. Mallard		 Tired of pictures?
Tired of pictures?		 Opposing forces
Opposing forces
Peaceful coexistence
Peaceful coexistence		 Cormorant reflected
Cormorant reflected		 The exuberant cormorant
The exuberant cormorant		 Reflections with heron
Reflections with heron
On the lookout
On the lookout		 Unimpressed
Unimpressed		 The ultimate survivor
The ultimate survivor		 Shovelers shoveling
Shovelers shoveling
Pretty feathers
Pretty feathers		 Up for air
Up for air		 The well-coiffed heron
The well-coiffed heron		 Mr. and Mrs. Gadwall
Mr. and Mrs. Gadwall
Playing hard to get (reloaded)
Playing hard to get (reloaded)		 Awkward shoveler moment
Awkward shoveler moment		 Heron reflections
Heron reflections		 The 'shovel'
The 'shovel'
Getting ready to move on
Getting ready to move on		 Movin' on
Movin' on		 The duck with the blue bill
The duck with the blue bill		 Posing shoveler
Posing shoveler
Mr. and Mrs. Wigeon
Mr. and Mrs. Wigeon		 Sunbathing mallard
Sunbathing mallard		 Interloper
Interloper		 Different take on the shoveler
Different take on the shoveler
Last cormorant standing
Last cormorant standing		 The takeover
The takeover		 The gosling
The gosling		 The goose family
The goose family
Following in mom's footsteps
Following in mom's footsteps		 Giving me the eye
Giving me the eye		 Surprise visitor
Surprise visitor		 Watchful eye
Watchful eye
Odd gosling out
Odd gosling out		 The setting
The setting		 Change of pace
Change of pace		 Gettin' outta there
Gettin' outta there
Cold shoulder
Cold shoulder		 Reflections
Reflections		 Making a statement
Making a statement		 Watchful eye
Watchful eye
The duck family
The duck family		 Bird bath
Bird bath		 National Park Service to the rescue!
National Park Service to the rescue!		 Mallard detail
Mallard detail
He's baack!
He's baack!		 Heron reflected
Heron reflected		 Face-off
Face-off		 Bothersome ducks!
Bothersome ducks!
The referee
The referee		 Headless heron?
Headless heron?		 Just like old times
Just like old times		 The standout
The standout
New kid on the block
New kid on the block		 Mirror image
Mirror image		 Always on the lookout
Always on the lookout		 'Pesky ducks...'
'Pesky ducks...'
Beware of the water
Beware of the water		 The standoff
The standoff		 Just chillin'
Just chillin'		 Beware of those scary ducks!
Beware of those scary ducks!
Ruffled feathers
Ruffled feathers		 Hint of green
Hint of green		 Mallard in triplicate
Mallard in triplicate		 Dog alert!
Dog alert!
The obsessive coot
The obsessive coot		 On a mission
On a mission		 The backward glance
The backward glance		 Two jays in a tree
Two jays in a tree
Stereotypical
Stereotypical		 He's pretty, and he knows it
He's pretty, and he knows it		 The contortionist
The contortionist		 One-legged gathering
One-legged gathering
Kiss and make up for the new year
Kiss and make up for the new year		 The flapper look
The flapper look		 The cormorants are back!
The cormorants are back!		 'Hmmm...'
'Hmmm...'
Keeping an eye out
Keeping an eye out		 Taking in the sun
Taking in the sun		 ‘It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman’?
‘It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman’?		 Lunch is about to be served
Lunch is about to be served
Extended family
Extended family		 Salvaged ring-necked duck
Salvaged ring-necked duck		 The deep diver
The deep diver		 Shoveler giving us the eye
Shoveler giving us the eye
Poised for a deep dive
Poised for a deep dive		 The shoveler sub
The shoveler sub		 It's only just the beginning
It's only just the beginning		 Even seagulls can be majestic!
Even seagulls can be majestic!
Opposites attract
Opposites attract		 Those spectacular heads
Those spectacular heads		 Sea change
Sea change		 Begging for a picture
Begging for a picture
The security detail
The security detail		 The sheer size of it all
The sheer size of it all		 Preening interrupted
Preening interrupted		 'Splish splash...'
'Splish splash...'
Bird-watcher
Bird-watcher		 Two shovelers shoveling
Two shovelers shoveling		 Synchronized
Synchronized		 Just chillin'
Just chillin'
Calm after the storm
Calm after the storm		 He’s baaack
He’s baaack		 Fearless
Fearless		 Learning to forage
Learning to forage
Potato chip fan
Potato chip fan		 The posing blue jay
The posing blue jay		 Welcome back
Welcome back		 High up
High up
Learning the ropes
Learning the ropes		 White duck
White duck		 Wary eye
Wary eye		 Blackbird that loved the camera
Blackbird that loved the camera
Face to face with a juvenile starling
Face to face with a juvenile starling		 Busy blue jay
Busy blue jay		 ‘You lookin’ at me?’
‘You lookin’ at me?’		 The pretty Mrs. Blackbird
The pretty Mrs. Blackbird
The posing sparrow
The posing sparrow		 Contemplative mallard
Contemplative mallard		 Not impressed
Not impressed		 Food frenzy
Food frenzy
True colors
True colors		 The encounter
The encounter		 Just too cute to ignore
Just too cute to ignore		 Synchronized
Synchronized
The unwelcome visitor
The unwelcome visitor		 Dejected
Dejected		 Mirror image
Mirror image		 Taking a snooze
Taking a snooze
Me and my reflection
Me and my reflection		 In autumn waters
In autumn waters		 Shoveling in fall reflections
Shoveling in fall reflections		 Blue-eye
Blue-eye
The poetic mallard
The poetic mallard		 Reveling in the color
Reveling in the color		 The classic pose
The classic pose		 Showing off
Showing off
The Mallards out for a ‘stroll’
The Mallards out for a ‘stroll’		 Here’s shovelin’ at you, kid
Here’s shovelin’ at you, kid		 Mallard enjoying the colors
Mallard enjoying the colors		 The golden Mrs. Mallard
The golden Mrs. Mallard
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard		 The lone bird
The lone bird		 In the reflection of the Washington Monument
In the reflection of the Washington Monument		 Red-winged blackbird at the gardens
Red-winged blackbird at the gardens
Three may be company, but here it’s a crowd
Three may be company, but here it’s a crowd		 New residents at the gardens
New residents at the gardens		 The light-keeper
The light-keeper		 Unexpected waterbird
Unexpected waterbird
The fearless blackbird
The fearless blackbird		 Learning the ropes
Learning the ropes		 Unlikely buddies
Unlikely buddies		 Diving lessons
Diving lessons
Bill to bill
Bill to bill		 Waiting patiently
Waiting patiently		 She’s got her wings full
She’s got her wings full		 Still at it
Still at it
The ‘waterbird’
The ‘waterbird’		 The pause that refreshes
The pause that refreshes		 The blackbird that keeps on keeping on
The blackbird that keeps on keeping on		 Taking a break from the kids
Taking a break from the kids
The poser
The poser		 ‘I’m pretty, and I know it’
‘I’m pretty, and I know it’		 Showing off
Showing off		 ‘Splish splash, I was taking a bath’
‘Splish splash, I was taking a bath’
Mother and baby
Mother and baby		 Sitting pretty
Sitting pretty		 Mother mallard and the kids
Mother mallard and the kids		 He’s back!
He’s back!
Heron in hiding
Heron in hiding		 Togetherness
Togetherness		 That long neck comes in handy
That long neck comes in handy		 The Mallards
The Mallards
Keeping an eye on us
Keeping an eye on us		 Diversion
Diversion		 The bath
The bath		 One of the few
One of the few
New kid on the block
New kid on the block		 Just the usual
Just the usual		 Showboat
Showboat		 Dripping northern shoveler
Dripping northern shoveler
Coming in for a landing
Coming in for a landing		 Gull through a weeping willow
Gull through a weeping willow		 Unprepared for a portrait
Unprepared for a portrait		 Hiding in plain sight
Hiding in plain sight
Snoozing duck
Snoozing duck		 Family time
Family time		 Mother mallard and the kids
Mother mallard and the kids		 Hiding in the bushes
Hiding in the bushes
Calling Mrs. Blackbird
Calling Mrs. Blackbird		 Goose lines
Goose lines		 Taking a break from the kids
Taking a break from the kids		 Sparrow on a hot day
Sparrow on a hot day
Cormorant on a mission
Cormorant on a mission		 Taking a dip
Taking a dip		 Out of the ordinary
Out of the ordinary		 Reliable visitor
Reliable visitor
Cruising
Cruising		 Duck yoga
Duck yoga		 Shoveler in fall waters
Shoveler in fall waters		 ‘Mirror, mirror’
‘Mirror, mirror’
Splish splash…
Splish splash…		 Grand finale
Grand finale		 In formation
In formation		 Cruising along
Cruising along
Showing off
Showing off		 The finale
The finale		 Memories of fall
Memories of fall		 Coming in for a landing
Coming in for a landing
The intent shoveler
The intent shoveler		 Enjoying the sunlight
Enjoying the sunlight		 Cormorant crowd at Constitution Gardens
Cormorant crowd at Constitution Gardens		 Member of the cormorant convention
Member of the cormorant convention
The showoff
The showoff		 Washington Monument reflections
Washington Monument reflections		 The eye of the cormorant
The eye of the cormorant		 Robin at Constitution Gardens
Robin at Constitution Gardens
Home territory
Home territory		 Getting some air time
Getting some air time		 Showing off
Showing off		 And then he was gone
And then he was gone
Red-winged blackbird with something to say
Red-winged blackbird with something to say		 Oblivious
Oblivious		 ‘Ho hum’
‘Ho hum’		 Learning the ropes (and the uncertain future of the gardens)
Learning the ropes (and the uncertain future of the gardens)
Not so quiet blackbird
Not so quiet blackbird		 A resident we can count on
A resident we can count on		 Of all times not to have a ‘real’ camera with me!
Of all times not to have a ‘real’ camera with me!		 Our new friend at the gardens
Our new friend at the gardens
Caught in the act
Caught in the act		 Showing off his colors
Showing off his colors		 Showing off that wing
Showing off that wing		 Unusual visitor at the gardens
Unusual visitor at the gardens
Flying leap
Flying leap		 Splish splash
Splish splash		 Lesson learned: To see the heron, don’t bring a camera!
Lesson learned: To see the heron, don’t bring a camera!		 ‘Don’t feed the wildlife’
‘Don’t feed the wildlife’
Following the food (guys)
Following the food (guys)		 Splash landing
Splash landing		 Showing off (and drying off)
Showing off (and drying off)		 Posed
Posed
Considerate heron
Considerate heron		 ‘Aaack!’
‘Aaack!’		 Observing
Observing		 ‘We’ve got (all) our eyes on you’
‘We’ve got (all) our eyes on you’
Opposites attract
Opposites attract		 Great blue heron, again
Great blue heron, again		 Crossing paths
Crossing paths		 One last look at the young heron
One last look at the young heron
The great egret saga: First sighting (1/6)
The great egret saga: First sighting (1/6)		 The great egret saga: Posing (2/6)
The great egret saga: Posing (2/6)		 ‘I wonder what he’s looking at...’ (3/6)
‘I wonder what he’s looking at...’ (3/6)		 The great egret saga: Hard to reach places (4/6)
The great egret saga: Hard to reach places (4/6)
The great egret saga: On its way (5/6)
The great egret saga: On its way (5/6)		 The great egret saga: Departure (6/6)
The great egret saga: Departure (6/6)		 Variety
Variety		 Solitude
Solitude
Reflections in green
Reflections in green		 Curious sparrow
Curious sparrow		 Taking a break
Taking a break		 Birds of a feather don’t always flock together
Birds of a feather don’t always flock together
Showing off
Showing off		 Surprise bird
Surprise bird		 Lost duckling
Lost duckling		 ‘Splish splash…’
‘Splish splash…’
Not interested
Not interested		 Taking in the sun
Taking in the sun		 And then there were two, or maybe three?
And then there were two, or maybe three?		 Meanwhile, on the other side of the lake…
Meanwhile, on the other side of the lake…
Doing their own thing
Doing their own thing		 All alone
All alone		 Hanging around
Hanging around		 Bonanza day
Bonanza day
Birds of a feather don’t always stick together
Birds of a feather don’t always stick together		 The handout
The handout		 Fearless
Fearless		 Searching
Searching
Posing for the camera
Posing for the camera		 Posing by the Washington Monument reflection
Posing by the Washington Monument reflection		 Just another day at Constitution Gardens
Just another day at Constitution Gardens		 Enjoying the shadows
Enjoying the shadows
Birds of a feather don’t always stick together
Birds of a feather don’t always stick together		 End flight
End flight		 The rear view
The rear view		 Serenading the empty gardens
Serenading the empty gardens
Basking in the first sun in a long time
Basking in the first sun in a long time		 Waiting
Waiting		 Inquisitive robin
Inquisitive robin
bill friedlander02-Aug-2024 15:26
Great to have a bird sanctuary right in the middle of the city. V
Dan Opdal14-Jan-2024 22:22
Wonderful Collection! V
Dan Greenberg09-Aug-2023 00:50
After visiting this gallery again, I realize I definitely need to go there the next time I visit my daughter. ~BV~
Jeff Real29-Jan-2023 13:50
I really admire what you have accomplished in the gallery!
It is very inspiring to see all of the wonderful subjects!
It is nice to feel your dedication to this series.
V
victorswan17-Dec-2020 11:26
nice to see the couple peacefully on a trip, nice sharp image and a nice composition Helen BV
Nestor Derkach03-Mar-2020 16:16
You have accumulated many nice water bird portrait .
Nice camera work .
Excellent gallery.
Vote
Bart Aldrich03-May-2019 19:45
Wonderful nature!
robst22-Feb-2019 05:53
Nice Gallery!
Geert Bauke Kortleve19-Feb-2019 09:16
beautiful shots of the GB Heron!
Alexander Kazakov17-Feb-2019 12:16
Excellent gallery! V
joseantonio05-Feb-2019 20:29
A very nice collection of great images.V.
victorswan03-Feb-2019 11:15
Wow Helen you feel completely in between the birds, and you present them as beautifully as a birdwatcher BV
carol j. phipps21-Jan-2019 00:10
Exciting gallery Helen! I like your photographs of what's happening in DC. V
exzim09-Jan-2019 23:46
Yes, I agree, a most enjoyable gallery
fotabug31-Dec-2018 04:29
Well done! Enjoyable gallery!
exzim22-Dec-2018 20:28
I'm going to say this needs more than one vote
danad06-Dec-2018 09:47
A superb work, Helen ! Great action shots ... V.
MarcViskens01-Dec-2018 15:59
very pretty shots Helen
carabias01-Dec-2018 09:13
A very beautiful and creative series, Helen! V
Ton T.30-Nov-2018 16:21
Well done Helen! Interesting gallery V
John Hamers30-Nov-2018 08:09
Great collection of wonderful images of these birds, Helen. Must have been great fun for you both. !!V
marie-jose wolff29-Nov-2018 17:28
a very fine collection of waterbirds so well captured in full action! V
Dan Greenberg28-Nov-2018 06:23
I definitely would not have expected to find them there. Great shots of them having fun. ~BV~
Zoltán Balogh26-Nov-2018 05:21
Excellent new gallery Helen, looking forward to more and more of your pictures. V
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