Space was tight to stand on the bank of the canal and catch the Great Blue Heron flying in so I didn’t get his whole body.
He landed back on his little island and had a fluff up before going back to fishing.
Great Blue Heron
Category Archives: Wading Birds
Personal Island for Great Blue Heron
On his own island paradise, complete with snacks, a Great Blue Heron was drifting down the canal at the edge of the old rice fields.
The shrimp were to his liking.
The island clump was moving just fast enough to make me dizzy looking through the view finder.
The Heron paced back and forth a few times and settled on some smaller catches, barely seen hanging from his mouth here.
He left paradise as it rounded a turn, but the fishing must have been good off its shores as he returned just a few minutes later.
Splish Splash
It’s always a surprise to see a wading bird in the water with their body in. This Little Blue Heron was taking a prolonged bath in water that was a bit murky.
He stood in one spot having a soak for at least ten minutes. I’m not sure if those bubbles were from his splashing that I missed or something else was in the water.
Then the action started:
Bathing can be hard on your coiffure.
Finally hopping out of the water for a big shake.
And another:
Then a peaceful rest at the edge of his personal bath tub.
Carry On
Pay no attention to the Great Egret blocking the way…
The Wood Storks kept moving forward with their heads down and the Egret moved.
They had serious business to do gathering lunch from the shrinking stream created by the outgoing tide.
Click on any photo for larger view.
Wood Stork Flying Low
The tide was nearly low and the wading birds were steadily gathering food in the condensed water at the edge of the marsh. A group of six or eight Wood Storks waded back and forth mostly with their heads down searching for fish.
As the water continued to drain, occasionally they would fly back to where the water was deeper.
The moon-scape look of the exposed sand made this stork with his big shadow look even more pre-historic.
Green Heron Landscape
An adult Green Heron looks out over the marsh from an open vantage point.
Around this marsh it has been my experience to see the Green Herons only after they have taken off from within a clump of trees. AKA “bird butt” photographs.
Reflecting on Summer
The greenery around the edges of the old rice field ponds is at its peak. In places it is so high and dense you can’t get a view of the water from the berm so long distance shots will have to do.
Snowy Egret
This Snowy Egret is likely a regular around this small pond. He was content for me to walk by as he surveyed they area from this cement embankment near the road.
Then I took one step too close and he lifted up onto a dead branch and proceeded to twist around for some personal grooming.
The branch hung out over the pond and I was able to move around the corner and get a couple different backgrounds as he posed one legged.
I wanted to get the nice green palm fronds or the flowering Crepe Myrtle that edged the pond but as it turns out I would have had to have my feet with the alligators to get those shots.
Click on any photo for larger view.
Roseate Spoonbills
You have to love the pink. Actually, what’s not to love about a Spoonbill?
The profile of a mature Roseate Spoonbill in flight shows off that fabulous pink and the bill well adapted for feeding in shallow water.
The Spoonbills in this group are younger with less color, but still something to look at.
Their flight seems effortless and like most of the large wading birds they are masters of the glide.
Immature Little Blue Heron
Dwarfed by the reeds and grasses growing at the edge of the marsh this immature Little Blue Heron squawked his way to a landing then seemed unsure what to do.
His mottled coloration made him stand out nicely from the green background as he took a stroll along the irrigation canal bordering the marsh.
Click on either photo for larger view.
