|
|
04-25-2024, 07:54 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: WV
Posts: 3,630
Likes: 552
Liked 4,637 Times in 1,053 Posts
|
|
Great Blue Heron in my front yard
Because of the pond near my place we sometimes see more exotic birds than one might usually expect to see in West Virginia.
We have a perennial nesting pair of Canada Geese (**** farms in my opinion) and the female is currently sitting the nest while the male is 'on patrol'.
I heard a commotion this afternoon and saw the male tear across the surface of the water going after something unseen; I had seen a dog messing around the bank and figured it probably ventured too close to the clutch. Then it caught my eye - a young Great Blue Heron (known to eat small goslings) was being harassed by daddy goose. As I grabbed my camera and headed toward the pond mamma came off the nest to join the fray as poppa apparently wasn't intimidating the blue.
I managed to grab the 300mm lens but my approach still distracted the big bird and he became wary. The geese used the opportunity to withdraw to more dense cover.
I managed to snap several pics with the motor drive until the heron decided to decamp to an overwatch position in a tall pine . . . .
I gather he (she ?) is a young specimen as the 'crest' plumage hasn't yet developed.
We see egrets of different types at times as well as the owls and red hawks that call this their hunting ground.
__________________
Qui plantavit curabit
|
The Following 39 Users Like Post:
|
Bajadoc, bearfoot, bigmtnman, boykinlp, chuckie, cndrdk, D Brown, desi2358, Eric300, Fullmetaljacket, ginalily, Golddollar, H Richard, Jack Flash, JohnRippert, kozmic, ladder13, Lee Barner, LVSteve, mchom, Memphis, Model 19 6", Narragansett, norm, oldbrownhat, Onomea, pasound, RobertJ., rwsmith, soFlaNative, StrawHat, swsig, THE PILGRIM, TheHobbyist, tops, TX-Dennis, yaktamer, YeshuaIsa53, zipty6 |
04-25-2024, 07:58 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern Colorado USA
Posts: 2,362
Likes: 6,023
Liked 8,911 Times in 1,711 Posts
|
|
Great capture of in flight pics. I have enjoyed seeing them many times back in the Shenandoah Valley and out here in Colorado. They are always a treat !
__________________
Y. B. Ord & A. Ree
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-25-2024, 07:58 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Ashtabula County, Ohio
Posts: 6,036
Likes: 9,492
Liked 13,985 Times in 4,098 Posts
|
|
Here in Ohio, the GBH is a common sight. In and near the flyways folks see the uncommon. Around us, not too many unusual ones.
Kevin
__________________
Unshared knowledge is wasted.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-25-2024, 08:04 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Meadows Place, Texas
Posts: 5,877
Likes: 25,601
Liked 16,584 Times in 4,220 Posts
|
|
We have a small lake at the end of our street, about 1/8 mile away. There is usually a great egret and coots there along with the ubiquitous domestic ducks. We also get green herons, great blue herons, yellow & black crowned night herons, cormorants, pied billed grebes and black bellied whistling ducks to name a few.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-25-2024, 08:10 PM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Coastal virginia
Posts: 5,146
Likes: 2,153
Liked 10,681 Times in 3,355 Posts
|
|
I have a great blue Thunderbird
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-25-2024, 08:30 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: OH
Posts: 2,134
Likes: 6,429
Liked 6,421 Times in 1,665 Posts
|
|
I used to have an old farmer neighbor who also ran a family commercial fishery business. He had numerous small stock ponds all around the farm & the Blue Herons were always present from early summer on. He told me it was amazing how much damage they could inflict on his stock if left to their own ways. He also told me the strangest thing, when he found them on his stock ponds they had a tendency to spring leaks and then just topple over. He just assumed they had some sort of affliction.
|
The Following 5 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-25-2024, 08:44 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: On da Bayou Teche
Posts: 18,520
Likes: 18,752
Liked 59,342 Times in 9,731 Posts
|
|
I guess I'm spoiled. The land I hunt borders the Rainey Audubon sanctuary and we see blue herons, ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, countless shore birds like rail and gallinule, flocks of hawks (who sometimes snare a downed duck) the occasional pelican along with ducks. It truly is a birder's paradise
__________________
Forum consigliere
|
The Following 7 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-25-2024, 09:17 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 5,325
Likes: 14,183
Liked 16,372 Times in 4,141 Posts
|
|
We also have a pond. I once had one land about 15 feet from me, walk right by me within touching distance and go to the pond to hunt. As it went by me it looked at me like I owed it money.
__________________
The best I can with what I got
|
The Following 7 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-25-2024, 09:23 PM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Northwest Ohio
Posts: 2,003
Likes: 5,941
Liked 2,687 Times in 1,030 Posts
|
|
Farm ponds with fish and frogs and blue herons do NOT mix!
Blue herons eat small fish and frogs...not good if you have a pond...I like the post #8 above from the farmer about them springing "leaks"...
Last edited by pharman; 04-25-2024 at 09:25 PM.
|
04-26-2024, 12:01 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Meadows Place, Texas
Posts: 5,877
Likes: 25,601
Liked 16,584 Times in 4,220 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by CAJUNLAWYER
I guess I'm spoiled. The land I hunt borders the Rainey Audubon sanctuary and we see blue herons, ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, countless shore birds like rail and gallinule, flocks of hawks (who sometimes snare a downed duck) the occasional pelican along with ducks. It truly is a birder's paradise
|
Brazos Bend State Park is about 25 miles south of us. Before Mom's dementia got so bad I used to go down there and hike around with my camera for a few hours a couple times a month. The last time I went there was a gaggle of baby alligators with Mom close by.
Last edited by JohnRippert; 04-26-2024 at 12:10 AM.
|
The Following 4 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-26-2024, 12:08 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 5,325
Likes: 14,183
Liked 16,372 Times in 4,141 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnRippert
The last time I went there was a gaggle of baby alligators with Mom close by.
|
Interesting note: the term for a group of alligators is a congregation. Same for crocs.
Means Rusty has a congregation in his shoe closet.
__________________
The best I can with what I got
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-25-2024, 08:19 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Ashtabula County, Ohio
Posts: 6,036
Likes: 9,492
Liked 13,985 Times in 4,098 Posts
|
|
We travel to Northern Illinois four times a year for business, we spend a total of two months up there. We stay near Fox Lake and the chain of lakes area. April, 2023 we are looking out and see about 1000 white birds landing in the lake outside the house we rent. Huge white birds! We looked at each others and said, “Pelicans?” Indeed, apparently, the birds migrate to Canada to mate and stop in the Fox Lake area. Cool, but certainly a bit of a surprise!
Kevin
__________________
Unshared knowledge is wasted.
|
The Following 5 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-25-2024, 08:30 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Illinois / Wisconsin
Posts: 860
Likes: 4,865
Liked 1,128 Times in 566 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by StrawHat
We travel to Northern Illinois four times a year for business, we spend a total of two months up there. We stay near Fox Lake and the chain of lakes area. April, 2023 we are looking out and see about 1000 white birds landing in the lake outside the house we rent. Huge white birds! We looked at each others and said, “Pelicans?” Indeed, apparently, the birds migrate to Canada to mate and stop in the Fox Lake area. Cool, but certainly a bit of a surprise!
Kevin
|
Saw the same Pelicans at about the same time you did. Private lake North Barrinton IL.Clients home. There was thousands!!!
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-26-2024, 09:04 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Sterling,IL
Posts: 963
Likes: 2,579
Liked 1,141 Times in 542 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by StrawHat
We travel to Northern Illinois four times a year for business, we spend a total of two months up there. We stay near Fox Lake and the chain of lakes area. April, 2023 we are looking out and see about 1000 white birds landing in the lake outside the house we rent. Huge white birds! We looked at each others and said, “Pelicans?” Indeed, apparently, the birds migrate to Canada to mate and stop in the Fox Lake area. Cool, but certainly a bit of a surprise!
Kevin
|
We get them in my area in the Rock River,from Dixon to Rock Falls.
|
04-25-2024, 08:39 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: ALBUQUERQUE, NM
Posts: 13,966
Likes: 8,137
Liked 25,559 Times in 8,599 Posts
|
|
We get them over this way, mostly in the fall - winter.
I think they’re all gone now.
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.
__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-25-2024, 09:55 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: ALBUQUERQUE, NM
Posts: 13,966
Likes: 8,137
Liked 25,559 Times in 8,599 Posts
|
|
The second weirdest Bird I ever saw at the Bosque del Apache was a Pelican.
Who was heard to say - I must have taken the wrong turn at Galveston!
The Top Guy - see this big white bird in the middle of the largest pond.
Ask when I leave , what is that?
It’s an Arctic Swan.
Our first one.
Me too!
Just checked, I do have a not very good pic.
He was a loong ways out!
__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER
Last edited by THE PILGRIM; 04-25-2024 at 10:02 PM.
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-25-2024, 10:32 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SE USA
Posts: 2,459
Likes: 4,589
Liked 1,980 Times in 902 Posts
|
|
I bought a GBH confidence decoy long ago. A couple of years later, I bought a decoy shaped identical painted white, like an egret. We hunted small potholes in the marsh we had to hike to. We would put our backs to the wind if we could. Decoys out in front of us scattered about. We had to wrap the white bird in burlap to keep the mud off. After building a makeshift blind, I would walk about 80 yards in front to our 10 o'clock
at the edge of the hole and place the
egret decoy on a small pole for a confidence decoy. We usually saw more egrets where we hunted than GBH.
One mid morning, a white egret cupped into the wind and lit about five to six feet to the decoy's side, all lined up like two were sitting there.
We watched Romeo sit there without even turning his head toward the decoy for about ten solid minutes. Never looking at the decoy, he started preening. He preened about five minutes then settled back motionless.
After about another five minutes, he very s l o w l y turned his head and neck for a quick glance. Next came a longer gaze.. He flew away after not getting any attention. We went back to watching for ducks. Where is a video cam when needed? It was quite the treat.
Last edited by YeshuaIsa53; 04-25-2024 at 10:36 PM.
|
The Following 4 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-25-2024, 10:54 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Hammond in U.S.A.
Posts: 2,091
Likes: 1,359
Liked 4,002 Times in 953 Posts
|
|
STRAW HAT, ST. MARYS Ohio HAS A LARGE FLOCK OF WHITE PELICANS IN GRAND LAKE ,ALSO A COUPLE OF BALD EAGLE NEST.
__________________
age is just a number
|
04-26-2024, 12:01 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: PRNJ
Posts: 6,765
Likes: 477
Liked 16,848 Times in 3,327 Posts
|
|
We get great blue herons in New Jersey
__________________
Buy American
Vote Responsibly
|
04-26-2024, 12:05 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 6,902
Likes: 13,377
Liked 16,049 Times in 5,057 Posts
|
|
They are wonderful birds, We called them "Goony Birds".
__________________
No baby we aint
|
04-26-2024, 12:33 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,691
Likes: 3,451
Liked 9,396 Times in 3,531 Posts
|
|
I live on a canal (big drainage ditch) in S. FL. I see all sorts of wildlife on this canal, ranging from birds to coyotes. My backyard is recognized as the local Dew Drop INN for numerous Black-Bellied Whistler ducks daily. If it flies, I see it in my backyard. Bobcats, great big lizards that live in water, you name it. I get to see it all. I pity the city folks that only get to see pigeons. It's nice to sit on my patio in the evening with an Old Fashioned in my hand while watching the wildlife world go by.
Last edited by SMSgt; 04-26-2024 at 12:35 AM.
|
The Following 4 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-26-2024, 01:10 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 646
Likes: 517
Liked 599 Times in 330 Posts
|
|
I was walking in the park yesterday and witnessed a heron in freeze mode then suddenly it struck and yanked a gopher from its hole.
Gulp. Swallowed.
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-26-2024, 01:12 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: The Rugged Llano Estacado
Posts: 3,667
Likes: 22,222
Liked 5,519 Times in 2,283 Posts
|
|
Man, you guys have all the fun. All I ever get in my yard are doves, quail, house finches, mockingbirds, curved bill thrashers, sparrows, grackles, hummingbirds, and the occasional blue jay.
__________________
Or something like that . . .
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-26-2024, 08:44 AM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Northwest Ohio
Posts: 2,003
Likes: 5,941
Liked 2,687 Times in 1,030 Posts
|
|
Build a pond and stock it with fish!
Quote:
Originally Posted by TX-Dennis
Man, you guys have all the fun. All I ever get in my yard are doves, quail, house finches, mockingbirds, curved bill thrashers, sparrows, grackles, hummingbirds, and the occasional blue jay.
|
Build a pond and stock it with fish and you will have all the blue herons you want UNTIL THEY EAT ALL OF YOUR FISH!
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-26-2024, 01:51 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Lost Wages, NV
Posts: 20,282
Likes: 24,951
Liked 29,811 Times in 11,073 Posts
|
|
Somewhere in my photo collection I have a shot of a GBH standing in a boat that had an awning so he could keep out of the sun. Some kind of Night Heron used to live by one of the artificial lakes near where I first lived in Vegas. Turned the corner into my cul-de-sac one night and there it was, standing in the street.
__________________
Release the Kraken
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-26-2024, 09:50 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Meadows Place, Texas
Posts: 5,877
Likes: 25,601
Liked 16,584 Times in 4,220 Posts
|
|
You know the little sucker fish that clean the walls of fish tanks? They get bigger when dumped in the wild.
You also never know when a yellow crowned night heron is going to stop by and stay a while on the house.
Last edited by JohnRippert; 04-26-2024 at 09:55 AM.
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-26-2024, 10:14 AM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Midwest
Posts: 2,515
Likes: 11,564
Liked 3,736 Times in 1,324 Posts
|
|
Nature is truly majestic. Thank you for sharing these photos (OP/everyone).
Saw a mating pair of bald eagles yesterday afternoon, flying and socializing. It was both peaceful and awe inspiring...but I'm a 'softy' the older I get...
__________________
Rather be outdoors
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-26-2024, 12:13 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: The Flint Hills - Kansas
Posts: 934
Likes: 2,421
Liked 3,419 Times in 692 Posts
|
|
One more. Wife and I saw this one on one of our drives through the Flint Hills of Kansas (where we live). A number of years ago I was turkey hunting here, and walked in while still dark and sat down with a tree at my back. There was a small slough behind me. Before daylight I was startled by a loud "croak", and it continued off and on for the next 20 minutes or so. When it got light enough to see, I peeked around the tree and saw a Blue Heron in the slough. Now that I know what one sounds like, I can stop thinking alien creature.
__________________
SWCA 3297 SWHF 583
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-26-2024, 12:26 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Hills of East Tennessee.
Posts: 1,310
Likes: 2,226
Liked 2,406 Times in 672 Posts
|
|
Down town Sevierville, Tn; behind an auto parts store.
|
The Following 4 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-26-2024, 01:05 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2023
Posts: 133
Likes: 330
Liked 130 Times in 70 Posts
|
|
Great pics!! Question do you ever see or hear WV bigfoot the Yahoo monster?
|
04-26-2024, 04:45 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: WV
Posts: 3,630
Likes: 552
Liked 4,637 Times in 1,053 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by moonsterman
Great pics!! Question do you ever see or hear WV bigfoot the Yahoo monster?
|
Well, I have seen a few things in Walmart after midnight that I couldn't positively identify . . .
__________________
Qui plantavit curabit
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|