The Cozy Cove

  The Great Blue Herons of Belle Haven Cottage: The Patient Fishermen of the Shoreline If you spend enough time along the quiet edges of Lake Lanier , you’re almost certain to see one of the lake’s most elegant residents—the Great Blue Heron . Tall, graceful, and surprisingly prehistoric-looking, these birds have a way of transforming the shoreline into a nature documentary right outside the cottage windows. At Belle Haven Cottage , our heron visitors are regulars. They wade slowly through the shallows, stand stone-still on the dock pilings, and sometimes glide across the cove with a wingspan that feels almost unreal. They’re mysterious and majestic, and they play an important role in the lake’s ecosystem. Recognizing the Great Blue Heron Standing up to 4.5 feet tall with a wingspan of 6 feet, Great Blue Herons are hard to miss. Their features include: Slate-blue feathers that blend perfectly with lake and sky Long, thin legs for wading through shallow water A spear...