This photograph captures a quiet yet dramatic moment in nature at the North Pond in Lincoln Park, Chicago. A Black-crowned Night Heron — a medium-sized wading bird — is standing in shallow water, focused and alert.
The bird’s body is mostly pale gray, with a glossy black cap and back. Its eyes are striking and red, trained on the surface of the pond. With its long, pointed black beak, the heron has just lunged at the water, attempting to catch prey — likely a small fish. You can see a splash where its beak broke the surface, and droplets are suspended mid-air, frozen by the camera at the instant of the strike.
But the bird missed. There’s no fish in its beak — just a splash and ripples spreading outward. Its legs, a pale yellow, are partly submerged as it leans forward, maintaining balance.
The water below reflects the bird almost perfectly, creating a mirror-like image. Around the pond, the banks are lined with soft green grass and low plants, giving the scene a natural, peaceful backdrop. The lighting is gentle, as if taken on a calm, overcast day, highlighting the quiet concentration of this patient hunter.
In the bottom left corner, the photographer’s credit reads “© Gregory Rothman 2025”
This image shows a red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) basking on a sunlit log near or in a pond, with the water in the background. The turtle is easily identifiable by the distinctive red mark behind each eye, along with its green and yellow-striped skin and a dark, dome-shaped shell. Its position—stretching out its limbs and neck—is typical basking behavior, which helps the turtle regulate its body temperature.
The photo is marked with a watermark crediting Gregory Rothman 2025
Strikes and MISSES!!! Black crowned Night Heron and a Red Eared Slider Turtle at the N Pond during dog walks.
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