VIDEO: Blue Heron In My Backyard?

YouTube ^ | February 24, 2019 | DUmmie FUnnies

[Covenantor]

Because the top head feathers are blue.

They are very impressive in flight with a large wing span.

Here's a GBH track in a mud flat with a 6" ruler for scale.

Amazing thing is that they present a very narrow silhouette when viewed head on, very effective camouflage when perched in a tree.

About 20 years ago on trek thru deep snow I encountered one fishing in a very narrow shallow creek. As he took flight his wings very nearly spanned the distance between trees on the bank, an awesome sight that made me long for a video camera.

[rustbucket]

Here are some Great Blue Heron photos:

Breeding Colors: Link

Wings folded: Link

Wings raised: Link

With fish (speared between the eyes): Link

[Alas Babylon!]

Well, I’m planting Irish potatoes next to one pair’s nest box. They’re not happy with me being so close. I keep talking to them, telling them I’ll be done soon. I left and will return before sun down to spread some pine straw over the rows.

I don’t want them to abandon the box. The things I do for wildlife!

[fidelis]

Definitely a Great Blue Heron. I've seen them eat fish, frogs, turtles, even other birds.

Here's a picture I took at the local Riparian Preserve:

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[PJ-Comix]

So the Blue Herons do spearfishing.

[_longranger81]

Yes. I see them both all the time during the summer on Campobello Island. They’re spectacular.

[rustbucket]

What the guy videoed in Florida was a Great Blue Heron. It has the dark blue head cap with a white spot in the middle of the cap, just like a Great Blue. When the Florida bird flew, it had the dark and light, two-toned pattern on the upper wing, like the Great Blue in the following photo.

The birding checklist for Campobello Island does include the Great Blue as the only Heron listed. Little Blue Herons, a much smaller and bluer bird, have been reported occasionally on nearby islands and Nova Scotia according to eBird.

[_longranger81]

The smaller birds I see on Campobello may be undocumented aliens, but they are definitely non-blue herons, and they are definitely there. Have been for the last five years. Northwest shore. And they look exactly like the OP’s picture. That was a spectacular shot of the Great Blue, BTW.

[eartick]

yep water turkeys and them great big white fish birds. Will decimate a tank

[waterhill]

https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/hunting/migratory-game-bird-regulations/illegal-species

[waterhill]

They won’t decimate a cattle tank, maybe a little garden koi pond.

[eartick]

ehhhhh, no. When these birds stake out a couple tanks, they will eat 24/7 dang near. The water turkey will spear its fish. A lot of times they fall off and then usually die.

Yeah, yeah I know the laws and obey them like other ranchers that are infested with them.

[BunnySlippers]

I live about a block from the LA River. Blue Herons are routine around here. They even come up onto the freeway off ramps by the river.

[PJ-Comix]

An update on that Blue Heron. It is still hanging around our lake. I watched it for awhile today hoping to see it spear a fish but all it did was sort of stand still with it’s head over the water but no spearing. That would make for some great video but perhaps I will be able to catch that in the future.

[posterchild]

That’s what video was made for! - not some text based website.

[PJ-Comix]

Just an update on the Blue Heron for everybody. I looked for it yesterday but did not see it. I also did not see it this morning but just a few minutes ago, just as I was talking about that Blue Heron on the phone to a friend of mine, that Blue Heron flew into view and landed just on the other side of the lake.

I have been keeping my eye out for it because I want to get a video of it feeding on fish or whatever.