Couldn't help but snap this shot of a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) near Wheeler Dam just east of Florence, AL on the Tennessee River. A small island located behind the Wheeler Dam acts as a rookery(nesting area) for many Great Blue Herons during the summer months and this is probably a juvenile bird from the summers nesting efforts since it does not have the coloration of a mature breeding bird. The waters flowing through the dam are rich in bait size fish which the herons and other birds love. This is a favorite spot to visit for bird watching as many species can usally be found feeding in the swift waters. Two observations of Great Blues are their patience and their vocalizations. I have watched them stand motionless for long periods of time waiting on a fish or crawfish to swim by for dinner. Secondly, a mocking bird they are not when it comes to their voice. They can make the most awful galking sound when they are disturbed and scared from their perch or fishing hole. It is down right pitiful, something on the order of a Crow with a bad sore throat. Regardless of their voice, they are a lovely bird to watch.
"Use the talents you possess- for the woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except for the best."
Henry Van Dyke (1852-`933): American Author, Educator, Clergyman
No comments:
Post a Comment