An older photo I’ve never published before.
Green Herons aren’t officially classified as ‘rare’ in northern Utah but they’re close enough that this bird is the only one I’ve ever seen or photographed.
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
“He” was fishing directly below rushing, tumbling water that was loaded with duckweed and resembled a small, green waterfall, which explains the vertical column of water and duckweed splashing up just below and slightly in front of his eye. Here he’d apparently spotted a fish in the calmer water just out of frame to our left and was running after it. I don’t remember if he caught the presumed fish, but I did photograph him with at least one other small fish in his bill.
This photo has been cropped very little and Green Herons are fast so I was lucky to keep all of him in frame. I got lots of photos of him fishing and this is one of my favorites so I’m more than a little surprised I haven’t published it before.
I’m resorting to posting an older photo again because we’re in the throes of our first winter storm, so I’m stuck at home for the duration. It’s raining as I type this, they’re forecasting lots of snow in the mountains, some in the valleys and tonight will be our first hard freeze of the season. Last evening I harvested a boatload of what will probably be the last of this year’s tomatoes, gave some of them to neighbors and stashed the rest for our own use.
I hope to have BLT’s (without onions, Buz Marthaler) for dinner two more times before the tomato drought begins in earnest. It’s going to be a long winter without garden tomatoes.
Ron
Amazing photo! After a second look I thought of the Road Runner cartoon. The Heron has that Road Runner pose .
You must be right about the Road Runner connection, Kaye. You’re not the first one to make that observation in a comment.
Wonderful image of an interesting species.
I generally concur with the thoughts expressed about store-bought tomatoes – however, in some countries, e.g. Turkeyi, they taste great – one wonders what’s going on. Our tomato plants here in NZ are just producing flowers as it is Austral Spring.
Gary, see the following link for the answer to “what’s going on” with our tomatoes. As one honest commercial tomato farmer said, “I don’t get paid once cent for flavor”.
https://www.npr.org/2011/07/09/137623954/the-troubled-history-of-the-supermarket-tomato#:~:text=%22Depending%20on%20the%20time%20of,to%20most%20of%20the%20country.
Maybe in countries like Turkey, grocery stores buy their tomatoes from local farmers.
I love these guys!
I flew home yesterday after a few days in New Mexico – it was pretty clear until we hit the GSL. I was able to see some edges of the southern part of the lake, then it was nothing but clouds, which looked like they were going to be affecting you pretty severely!
It was wonderful to get home and catch up on your posts – cormorants, snipe conventions, harriers, WCS, horned larks!
We spent a day at Bosque del Apache – it was VERY quiet – a few cranes and snow geese, a couple of harriers and a few little birds. The rangers said it was still too early, but in previous years at this same time, there were many cranes, geese, pelicans, raptors. All I could think of during the visit was your dearth of birds. Something isn’t right. So it was good to see that it was bird-busy in your neck of the woods!
“All I could think of during the visit was your dearth of birds. Something isn’t right.”
It’s a spooky, depressing feeling, isn’t it Carolyn. These days I’ve been getting that feeling regularly and I really, really don’t like it.
Thanks for the report about Bosque, bad news and all.
Beautiful LGB (little green bird), with subtle coloring beautifully enhanced by the greens and gold of water and duckweed. Love the hunting pose, and the stubby “tail” at the opposite end of that sharp bill makes me giggle (but not unkindly). ♥️
Coming from you, Chris, of course it would be “not unkindly”.
🥰
How I love this enchanting shot – of an equally enchanting bird.
I am sorry that you are about to join us in a tomato drought. We are still getting occasional frosts so it is too early to plant them here. And the store bought version doesn’t count as a tomato for me.
EC, I agree, EC. Store bought tomatoes suck. Some folks have been buying those things for so long they think that’s what tomatoes are supposed to taste like. If they only knew.
Great shot! They are attractive birds. I missed seeing the green heron here and in St George! One day maybe I see one. Yes, I spent all day in the yard yesterday getting things into the greenhouse and ready. I shook out about 1/4 cup of amaranth seed for a few who wanted seeds. We had a skiff of snow early this morning and about an inch of rain so far.
April, I let me amaranth run amok in my garden this year so next year I’ll have oodles of them coming up as volunteers.
You inspired me to go check my rain gauge. We only got 1/2″ from this storm and now it’s clearing out. Gonna be cold tonight!
We often have them in our large backyard pond – they are fascinating to watch. They don’t keep as still as Great blues and move around water edges more. I have found them difficult to photograph as they blend in to the shoreline vegetation so much – so congrats on getting another fine photo — it really shows the line of its intent.
Thank you, Kent. Jealous of your pond, especially since it’s a large one.
Green Herons are my favorite among all herons. They are well known for their behavior of baiting for fish and I have been fortunate to see and photograph that behavior. They gently place something bright on the surface of the water. I’ve seen them use a small yellow leaf and in the series I got photos of, the heron picked up a small cracker someone had dropped. It gently placed it on the surface and waited patiently. When a small fish came up to investigate, it quickly became dinner. We also once had to rescue a couple of young birds that had fallen out of their flimsy nest and were running around a suburban neighborhood. They were not quite flighted yet but they sure could run.
Dan, I’ve seen videos of that unusual fishing behavior but it goes without saying that I’ve never seen it. I’d love to sometime.
Ron, sorry winter is arriving a little early there, but nice shot of the Heron. Whenever I think of Green Herons I remember the comic character the Green Hornet. That is a very interesting shot because you caught it running after prey. I have seen them a few times here, but never moving like that. Good shot. Stay warm and get those tomatoes to the neighbors before they freeze.
Everett, the neighbors already have the tomatoes – well at least one of the neighbors does. I left the tomatoes for the other neighbor in a sack hanging on our adjoining fence like I always do. But this morning I see they’re still there so maybe they aren’t home. I left him a message…
Great focus on great focus! I’ve seen them both in AZ and in Ottawa. Guess they get around. Sorry about the upcoming lack of BLTs, but as my father-in-law advised in his late 90s, “Enjoy what you have!”
I’ll definitely enjoy what I have, while I have it, Burrdoo.
Some real intensity in that photo. Good find from the FP archive!
Just reading the acronym BLT makes my mouth water.
The only thing better than a homemade BLT is a homemade BLT with homegrown tomatoes. Bon Appetit Ron.
Thanks, Michael. We’ve had BLT’s at least once per week since about the end of July. Withdrawal is going to be a bugger.
Sometimes when my Dad cussed, he used the expression “shite poke” which was a mystery to me– after all these years, you’ve
explained it ! The critter in your very interesting image looks –at
the moment of your capture, anyway– a lot like a roadrunner–
Kris, Webster says “shite”, meaning “shit”, is obsolete. Maybe it deserves to be reincarnated…
Great photo! About three months ago I got some photos of a flying green heron (more brown than green) here in central New Jersey. I frequently see egrets and great blue herons, but this the only
green heron I’ve yet seen.
Thanks, Robert. Having seen only one Green Heron is something we share.
That’s a great picture! The color is unusual in a good way. I hope you see more green herons. I’ve seen a lot of them in Florida but only two or three here in Maryland. They were usually staring intently at the water; the only action I’ve seen is flying away from me.
“the only action I’ve seen is flying away from me.”
Phil, I understand that they’re so well known for pooping immediately after they take off, one colloquial name for them is “shite-polk”. Another is “chalk-line”. 🙂
Ron – I’m so happy for you. I LOVE Green Herons & I never felt a
visit Green Cay was complete until I saw one. They are such patient fishermen I waited 25 minutes to see one catch a little fish. I did always why the chose “Green” for them since the sun causes them to change all different beautiful colors.
Jo Ann, you’re lucky to see them so often. Every several years one is reported here but this is the first and only one I’ve seen.
Fun and great shot, Ron! 🙂 VERY streamlined bird and it’s beautiful colors stand out well against the bright green while the green around his eye matches the duckweed.
Winter is here – 16 and light fluffy snow this morning on top of the 4 or 5 ” from yesterday that did have good moisture in it. Need it both for cover and moisture as our winter wheat isn’t up yet… 🙁 We too had the dramatic drop in temps.
Judy, knowing the storm MT is in the midst of, I checked the temp in Cut Bank this morning. Right now it’s 9° F. – probably colder on the farm.
I love MT but I sure don’t miss those Glacier County winters.
This is a great shot!! Love the colors and the action of the heron. Have never seen a Green Heron! We have plenty of Blue Heron here in AZ. Stay warm and enjoy those tomatoes.
Thanks, Kathleen. It always seems a little strange to go from using AC to relying on the furnace to keep warm in less than 24 hours.