The Great Blue Heron

The quiet presence along the Bolsa Chica wetlands.

August 2, 2026

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, California

I came back to Bolsa Chica today with my kids.

I've visited this coast for years, but this was the first visit where I brought a camera with the intention of documenting the bird that inspired Wading Dusk.

The Great Blue Heron isn't rare here. If you spend enough mornings or evenings around the wetlands, you'll eventually find one standing almost perfectly still at the water's edge.

The part of what drew me to the heron that it doesn't seem to rush anything.

My kids spent the morning running the trails, and they were actually the ones who spotted the herons first. They've become curious about the birds too. Those moments reminded me that this place isn't only where the brand found its symbol - It's also where memories are being made.

This is the first entry in what I hope becomes a long collection of photographs from Bolsa Chica.

Not to chase perfect images, but to document a place that continues to inspire Wading Dusk, season after season.

Written by Jack Nguyen

A husband, dad, and the founder of Wading Dusk. Documenting the life we're creating and the memories made along the way.

The Great Blue Heron

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