Heron Mates

This morning we had a lovely row out to the Ballingall Islands to look for new Harbour Seal pups. We haven't seen many seals in our bay for a couple of weeks and assume they are nesting somewhere else and will bring their pups to sun on the rocks later. We must have gotten a bit too close for their comfort as they all jumped in the water and we were surrounded by more than 30 curious bobbing heads. But it doesn't make for a great photo.
Just as we were back at our dock our resident Great Blue Heron couple flew by and I was able to get them both in one picture - one alighting briefly on the rock before they both flew off again. They mate for life and are very territorial. One often sits on our float or mooring buoy or at the end of the bay- have no idea which is male and which is female. It was such a pretty day I had to blip this showing some of the surroundings and not just those great wings...(altho that was tempting....) the 85 mm makes that island with the houses seem a lot closer than it is...In the near background is Saltspring Island.