Night Visitor

I'm sitting by the dim glow of the laptop in the main salon, little boy asleep beside me, and I notice a shadow. Usually it means a person walking by, momentarily blocking out the unnaturally bright dock light. But this shadow is slow and awkward. I look up and there he is. The largest great blue heron I have ever laid eyes on. Daintily strolling up our dock as if he were trying to find a certain boat to visit. He's easily taller than Z. I grab my camera and slink over to the door, we lock eyes, I fumble with lens cap, he takes to the night sky. My heart is still thumping. I love living on the water.