It flew across the lake and landed on a log. That movement is the only reason I saw it. I had my camera up in a flash but was awfully far away from it.
As usual, it was only when I got home that I realized there was more in the frame than I thought. Do you see it? There's a second heron in the background.
Here's a close up.
Green herons are most active at dusk and dawn, but if hungry they hunt during the day. They stand perfectly still, waiting for a hapless fish to come by. Sometimes they drop insects or feathers to attract the attention of fish and draw them in. How's that for cool? This makes them tool users, which is very rare in the animal world.
My photo caught the herons with their reddish-brown necks extended, but they often sit with their necks drawn in, creating a very different profile.
For some awesome photos of green herons, check out 10,000birds.com and look at their post "Green Herons and their Groovy Necks" at http://10000birds.com/green-herons-and-their-groovy-necks.htm . They have some fantastic before and after pictures of herons with their necks extended and retracted.
Congrats on catching your first Green!
ReplyDeleteThank you! After Hyperion went on a fabulous canoe campout and came home telling me about the beautiful green herons he saw, I've been a little - well - green with envy. Not any more!
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