The Elusive Green Lake Heron – Captured!

9/15/12 Lamy fountain pen, Moleskine sketchbook

Unless the weather is truly dreadful, I walk around Green Lake two to three times a week year-round. During the past four months or so, I’ve spotted a gray heron a few times, but because I usually don’t carry my sketch kit when I’m fitness-walking, I’ve always been unprepared to sketch him. But ever since last month when I caught a brief glimpse of him close to shore, I’ve been taking my ultra-minimalist sketch kit (consisting of a fountain pen filled with water-soluble ink, a water brush, a 3.5” x 5.5” Moleskine watercolor sketchbook, and yes, the all-important glasses, all carried in a very compact Travelon Convertible Travel Wallet) every time I’ve headed for the lake, just in case.

 

At last, my persistence paid off! I hadn’t even planned to go to the lake this morning, but a commitment was cancelled at the last moment, so I filled the unexpected gift of time with a walk – and serendipitously, the sketch I’d been waiting for. The heron spent quite a bit of time hunkered down motionlessly and occasionally preening, which left his head feathers ruffled. He let me sketch him for a full 18 minutes. Then he opened his majestic wings and was gone.