Blue Heron Camouflaged in Fall Colors

[Celebration]

not color adjusted

[Mira]

1. He looks cold, wet and mad. Never tell me animals don't

have emotion.
What a portrait.

[Celebration]

4. something is up with that heron

He was flying all over the place--not very skittish. Of course it was a weekday and there weren't too many people around. It was a bit puzzling, though, still.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

2. wow, your herons sit on man-made stuff?

ours must be more wild, they never sit on anything close to photogenic or man-made.

[Celebration]

3. that's one reason I was excited to get this picture!!

NEVER have I seen a heron on top of the boat dock. What a treat!! The only time I have seen them on top of man made things are some wooden boards out in the water, where supposedly there are mussels to get fresh water pearls. The boat dock guy has tried to make the place into a sort of tourist attraction with a fresh water pearl "museum" with lots of things for sale. But this is a big mussel area. People are always diving for them, and they are supposedly cultivated near the boat dock. Herons and other birds seem to like the boards.

Oh, so get this!! This same heron was actually UNDER the boat dock, on the walk later on. He moved quickly when he saw me coming. I was shocked.

I like them, but they kind of intimidate me, especially since some herons killed a man in the area a few years ago. He was looking at their nest I think.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

5. someone was killed by herons?

that would suck.

[qnr]

8. Interesting. They use man-made stuff all the time around here. Lots of people

fishing, and they throw them (and the brown pelicans) treats. Here's one standing atop one of the sun shelters at Padre Island National Seashore, and a photo of the shelters:


Edit: typo

[Celebration]

10. Love the one with his leg up!

That one is really great.

I found that shore birds near the ocean to be not quite as skittish as on the river. It may have something to do with crashing waves masking sounds, or, I am not sure.

Of course feeding the birds probably has a lot to do with it.

When I went to Yellowstone there was a wild/tame billy goat that stopped traffic every day on the same highway. He made his way down the hill. His whole goat family just literally got into the middle of the highway. We didn't feed them but I got the feeling that enough people did to make it worth their while.

Nobody feeds the herons on the Tennessee River.

[qnr]

11. Heheh, yeah, I always have to force myself not to feed the wildlife. They can

be quite endearing in their attempts to mooch food, like your billy goat.

I think that in general, you're right. They are less skittish near the ocean. Don't misinterpret what I said above to mean that they'll come join you in a game of football (short story on that reference: the penguins down in Antarctica would do that, when I used to serve on polar icebreakers) - they're still quite wary in general, it is just that you'll find a high percentage that are acclimated to humans.

[Mira]

6. Don't laugh at me please, are these guys cousins?

I stalked mine for a long time, onto private property as you can see, and I was tickled with that shot.

[Celebration]

7. Sorry, but

I am afraid I DID laugh, not only at the bird, but at you for being led into trespassing, from stalking it.

:rofl:

What a great shot!! I would have to say that they are cousins.

[qnr]

9. It kind of looks like a Great Egret, except they generally have black legs.

It would have been fun to say you had been "stalking a stork" but they have naked heads, if I remember correctly.

Edit: grrrr I can't type for beans tonight.