June 26, 2016

  • Guess Who's Back!

    During the past week when I was in the area (without my camera!), I swung by the harbor, really to kill a few minutes.  Driving past the stand of eucalyptus trees where I had seen great blue herons in the past, I was pleasantly surprised to see a couple of great blue herons -- they have not been there earlier this spring, and I had thought there would not be anybody home in the nests.  On Friday, with a few minutes to enjoy, I again went to see the birds again -- and there were four or five of them.  I had my camera with me this time, and spent some time taking a few photos, just to document that they are really there.

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    This pair appeared to be involved perhaps in some courting or feeding behavior.

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    While I was there, I thought this was a pair.  Looking at the photo, taken with a long lens, the one in the upper nest is a Great Blue Heron, while the other looks more like a night heron.

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    In the next few weeks, I'll be spending more time with the herons, and will always have the camera with me!  After looking back at prior years, it seems late in the season to be seeing these birds in this particular location, so I'm not sure there will be chicks this time -- we'll see.  But it was exciting to see  more than one bird there a couple of days within a week.

Comments (8)

  • I love these photos!! I really do enjoy your pictures of the big birds!! I'm so glad they have returned!

    • Thanks so much, Val. I don't want to bore people with them, so it's good to hear that you enjoy them so much. I'm glad they've come back too -- it will take a few days to determine how many, and what stage of nesting they are working on! In another day or so I'll have a completely different post, too!

  • Pictures of Great Blue Herons take me back to a photo shoot with friends in British Columbia when we walked to an area where they were nesting.

  • YESSS! I was so happy when you told me that the herons are back. I bet they were happy to see you too. <3 <3 :)

    • Well -- my fingers are crossed -- the birds weren't there on Monday, but they might have been out on a feeding expedition. They may be fledglings that I just never saw earlier in their young lives. I'll probably be down there again tomorrow or Friday, and may spend more time. It's hot at home now, and the harbor is a good place to cool off! If they're about to fly away for the year, I'll take this as a good sign that they'll be back next year!

  • I actually think both in that last photo are great blues ~ so happy they are back!!

    • Could be -- though I was looking at the shorter, darker beak, the way the head joins the beak, and the smaller size. It may be fledgeing season now -- I've only seen one since then!

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