Hidden in the evergreen foliage of the Poponjoche tree lives a feathered creature whose appearance seems to have stepped out of a fairy tale.

Often described as the most beautiful heron in the world, the agami heron is native to the tropical floodplains and mangroves of Central America. Agami herons live secretive lives, and only a few locations with breeding colonies of this species are known.

In my scratchboard work, I aimed to capture the mystery of this enchanting species. Surrounded by dense vegetation of the forest, the jewels begin to shine, when the light falls through the leaves of the jungle.