I saw this Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias a couple of days ago at the edge of a small pond in the vicinity of Creekside Church in Waterloo. It is in the prime of its nuptial finery and ready to mate.
It was fishing successfully and snagged its prey with repeated strikes, but the fish it was catching were pretty small and it would need a good deal to satisfy its appetite.
It will not be long before we hear the chorus of Spring Peepers Pseudacris crucifer and other amphibians as they awaken from winter hibernation, providing herons and other birds with a new range of opportunities to satisfy a hungry appetite.
I am not quite sure what this gyration signified; perhaps the bird was just limbering up or maybe trying to dislodge something stuck in its throat.
In any event I watched this heron for several minutes and it was quite wonderful to watch it going about the business of survival, to equip itself for a healthy and productive breeding season ahead.
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Your Great Blues look almost identical to the Greys of Eurasia................
ReplyDeleteBeautiful series of Blue Heron David.
ReplyDeleteI think that chokes in a fish, it would tickle in his throat;-))
Greetings Tinie
Beautiful bird with a long neck !!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures ! Greetings !
Nice series David. Indeed they almost look like the Herons over here. I like the bleu part near the eye.
ReplyDeleteI did not get the change to go out much. It is raining cats and dogs over here. Also next week will be very wet.
Have a nice week.
Roos
Beautiful images of this blue heron, David.
ReplyDeletePhoto 4 is really funny.
Have a good Sunday.
That is spelt handsome, HERON. Beautiful series David.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful series David Usually they fly away quickly if you want to photograph them.
ReplyDeleteThis gave you the opportunity to shoot your pictures. Top, beautiful colors.
Gr Jan W
David, wonderful series on your Great Blue Heron!
ReplyDeleteGood series of this beautiful Garza, is a lot like Ardea cinerea of Europe. Best regards from Spain.
ReplyDeleteA lovely series. Herons and Egrets are interesting to watch when they are feeding.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteReally nice pictures!
ReplyDeleteThis amazing pictures of the blue heron.
ReplyDeleteYou even have him in full action (4) learn to shoot, which also has a very nice effect:-)
Gorgeous bird! When you mentioned Waterloo, I thought for a moment you were in London as this is almost identical to the European Grey Heron.
ReplyDeleteI love your series on the Great Blue Heron, David, which (as others have noted) is very similar to our Grey Heron, but I'm afraid that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder'. The best I could bestow on this bird it that its appearance is 'remarkable' - pre-historic in appearance more readily springs to mind!!
ReplyDeleteI hope that your weather is better than ours. It's wet and extremely windy here today.
Best wishes to you both - - - - Richard
Hello David,
ReplyDeleteSorry to post my comment so late but we've been quite busy with stressful things.
As you told me, we posted the (nearly) same bird at the same time! LOL!
Your is more colourful than mine :)
Lovely series!
I hope you and Miriam are well,
Huge hugs to the both of you!