The Juvenile Heron (Photo Special)

By Words | Published May 17, 2012

We have a new inhabitant at Falmer Pond, a young heron. It was there this morning when I arrived, quietly minding its own business among the mass of herring gulls.

Unlike the adult herons it has yet to develop an appropriate wariness of people, though it did wade out into the water when things got a little busy.

You might have thought a heron would be fairly safe out there, but as you can see here something startled it.

That something is a gull.

After being buzzed several times, discretion took over and the heron retreated to a more sheltered perch.

Later in the day I caught its somewhat inept attempts at fishing. It doesn't matter how many times you grab and drop a stick, it remains a stick. The giveaway with fish is that they move!

Still, it seemed quite relaxed about it all.

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Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.

This entry was posted in water birds and tagged , .

10 Comments

  1. gdare May 18, 2012 at 2:05 am #

    Nice bird. They say there is a big colony of herons on Stanley Park in Vancouver but I haven't seen them yet. Only single bird here and there.

  2. derWandersmann May 18, 2012 at 3:05 am #

    He's delightful, Words. It's good you were able to follow him for so long.

  3. anonymous May 18, 2012 at 1:05 pm #

    Anonymous writes:

    LOL! What a cute bird (in it's own funny-looking way) and what an excellent little series of pictures of the Great Blue!!

    Marilyn

  4. SittingFox May 22, 2012 at 12:05 pm #

    It is rather cute, and rather confused about life, it seems! Someone should tell it that it isn't a beaver (eating sticks!)

  5. Words May 23, 2012 at 12:05 am #

    Darko, thanks! A large colony of herons is quite a sight. Fantastic to see during nesting season in particular.

  6. Words May 23, 2012 at 12:05 am #

    Adele, it was persistent with the stick. It was one of those ridiculous routines where it would grab the stick, drop it, the stick would move in the water because it had been dropped. Grab the stick… etc. He'll figure it out eventually.:D

  7. Words May 23, 2012 at 12:05 am #

    Marilyn , thanks. This is actually a Grey Heron, a close relative of the Great Blue, but slightly smaller. Pretty young thing though, and a joy to watch.

  8. Words May 23, 2012 at 12:05 am #

    dW, I'm glad he was well behaved for the day. He's not been back since, but you can never be sure that they won't return.

  9. derWandersmann May 23, 2012 at 2:05 am #

    Like the chap who reaches down for his hat, and simultaneously kicks it.

  10. Words May 24, 2012 at 11:05 pm #

    😀