Mid-Morning Pond Heron

This is supposed to be a Black Crowned Night Heron but...

I have re-named it to:

A Mid-Morning Pond Heron

(according to its behaviour at my fish pond)

I've had to re-name my fish pond as well.

It is now known as Fort Knox.

It is reinforced,

barb-wire barricaded

and tie-wrapped to a ridiculous level.

But getting back to the heron.

Here it is watching me with that oh-so-piercing red gaze.

It sends an anguished look below at the shimmering, juicy goldfish.

Followed by a calculation of its exit route through the trees.

With one flap of its long, powerful wings it shoots straight up,

right out of my camera's view.
All you see is a rather frightening view of its two clawed feet.

I manage to get one clear shot before it is gone.

You can just make out its silhouette through the leaves,
a shadowy, mystical figure,
a ghostly pond raider.