Environment:
Start Time: 6:15 PM Temperature: 54 degrees Sky: Sunny with few clouds; heavy breeze
Certain life obligations kept me home until early evening but I must say it was worth the wait! Really very few other humans on the trails or in the river and the birds were boppin’ about. As you can see I got another Great Horned Owl who was really nestled back into the trees. I had to go way off trail to get a clear shot and am very grateful to my subject for putting up with my stomping about. But the stars of the outing were the Great Blue Herons. I had made it a point to circle around to the Heron nest that I was watching last year to see if there was any action. To my delight a Great Blue was standing smack in the middle of the nest. I snapped a few shots and continued down the trail. I was a little way past the nest when two other Herons swooped over me and landed one on either side of the nest. The one in the nest got pretty animated and did a lot of talking and gesticulating to the newcomers. I wish I knew the whole story here. As you may recall there were three babies born last year. I am wondering if one or all of these three birds are from that brood. Perhaps they were debating who would be taking over the homestead? I’ll be keeping an eye on the nest again for sure!
Sightings:
Birds: Canada Geese, Mallards, Osprey, Gulls, Robins, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-tailed Hawk, Starlings, Cormorants, American Kestrel, Great Blue Heron, Great Horned Owl, Redhead Ducks, Belted Kingfisher
Critters: Mule Deer
Gear: Nikon D5600, 55-300mm
