Heron, Great Blue
Latin name: Ardea herodias
Length, wingspan: 46″, 72″
What they eat: Fish, frogs, snakes, lizards, insects, small mammals, other birds
Habitat: Freshwater (ponds, lakes) and saltwater areas. Grasslands, fields.
What attracts them: Mostly ponds
Where they nest: In trees, on the ground, or on nest platforms
My observations: The reason I’ve added these birds to my list is because they are quite drawn to our pond, which happens to be filled with fish, the occasional frog, and an interesting assortment of insects. Even though I’ve considered them to be my nemesis, Great Blue Herons are gorgeous birds… although I’d certainly rather see them in other locations! When they fly in, or when they take off, they remind me of a B-52 because they are HUGE. Much as they’re cool to see, I’ve figured out the best way to keep them away from my pond: put a heron decoy in the vicinity. Apparently, these herons are quite territorial. 
So if they’re making an approach to a pond, and they see what appears to be another heron already there, they will move on. We purchased a heron decoy many years ago and it has worked amazingly well. Our decoy, which cost about $40, could use a new paint job but the real herons don’t seem to notice that so it hasn’t been high on our list of priorities!