life begins at 70
Category: Herons
Photos originally posted on my Flickr site:
Who knew that Sir Ralph, the most outstanding Great Blue Heron on my beat, is also a part time thespian? Here are a few scenes from his recent performance on the smaller stage at Belmont Pond:
Click on any image to enlarge it in a new tab….
I recently published a piece on the Great Blue Herons I encounter on my beat. This is an update with photos from the mid January into the beginning of February 2018.
We’ve had a mild winter (so far) compared with last year’s.
A quick note about Sir Ralph, the subject of this piece, originally written for a response to a post on my Flickr site by a Texas colleague who expressed admiration for this bird struggling with our harsh Canadian climate:
On Sir Ralph of Thomson & Michaelbrook Marshes and Belmont Ponds
“Like many of us Northerners (aka Canadians, esp. the BC variety), he finds ways to enjoy every season, and here, in Kelowna, considers winter less “rigorous” than “stimulating.” Since this winter has been much milder than 2017, he has no trouble feeding himself as there has been some open water somewhere in the Marsh throughout.
And now, still in the first week of February, with the RWBlackbirds already back, staking out their territories, there is continuous open water — I estimate the Marsh to be 95% ice free. Although it may snow overnight and melt during the day, Ralph prefers this climate to Coastal rain. His prodigious plumage protects him and promotes his claim to regal status….
As you can see in a later post, he even engages in thespian pursuits when the muse seizes him…. Recently, he performed scenes from Richard III, not because he’s in any way like Shakespeare’s arch-villain, but because he’s versatile enough to play roles from villainy to virtuousness, a virtuoso in fact!
Next to Kessie, the resident American Kestrel, Ralph is one of the most likeable denizens of the fen, even if he rarely smiles (see photo below). He’s got the same dry sense of humour that my dad passed on to me….”
December 2017 ended with a promise of a repeat of January’s frosty days. Turned out to be hollow. Here’s Ralph on December 30:
By January 20, the Marsh had changed radically:
At the end of January, we caught up with Sir Ralph in the smaller of the two Belmont Ponds that he also frequents (as well as Michaelbrook which is still quite frozen at this time). While there was only a little open water under the bridge over the very short connecting creek, he was surveying his options very carefully.
He was smiling as if he had inside info about an early Spring…. Time will tell.
He can make himself look tall and slim, but sometimes, methinks, he over estimates his “invisibility”….
Two days later, I visited Belmont again, where I found Sir Ralph indulging his passion for the theatre in a marvellous presentation of scenes from Shakespeare’s Richard III….
If you’re just looking for information on Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias), I very much recommend this website: heron conservation — it doesn’t have my photos, of course!
Published December 20, 2017: Sing to “🎶 If I had a hammer…🎵.” Click here to open a performance in a new tab. Ignore the brief delay while it loads….
Actually, the title should say,
“If I had a dollar — ever’ time some’un asks me—
if I’ve “seen the heron” —, I’d be able to buy —
that new lens that I covet!” (Repeat.)
But that’s much too long a title, not to mention that someone stuffed the Genie back in the lamp and erased the password!
I wrote about Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) in my piece on water birds of 2016. In this post, however, I want to give the GBHEs their own place to shine, with a retrospective of some of the fascinating individuals I’ve been privileged to met….
NOTE: Click any single image to enlarge it in a new tab….
On “my beat,” I see numerous GBHEs, many with features of appearance (that can sometimes betray me!) and idiosyncrasies that enable me to recognize them, even, Gob fordib, to name them. The one I know best was already named by the residents on Belmont Pond — “Ralph.” Nobody really knows if he’s a Ralph or a Ralphina, but that’s the burden shared by all herons I know….
In the three years we’ve been here, I’ve discovered that Ralph is the calmest, most photographable of the GBHEs in the area. I encounter him in other locations besides Belmont Pond, including Thomson Marsh’s West Pond, and Michaelbrook Pond. Other herons also frequent these locations, but regal Ralph stands out, so much so that I’ve taken to calling him Sir Ralph of Belmont.
I think this is Ralph, because I’ve watched him move from this location to Belmont and from Belmont to Michaelbrook and from there back to West Pond. Other herons, of course, may share these locations, so then I have to fall back on Ralph’s calm demeanour which sets him apart from most of the others I observe. However, since I don’t want to strain my credibility, I’ll drop the naming aspect and focus on the photos….
So here from my growing, indeed, groaning, Great Blue collection are some favourites marked with the dates (yrmmdd) when I stole their souls:
Herons in Belmont Pond: As long as there’s some open water in either of the two Belmont Ponds (connected by an intermittent stream) we’ll see herons. The young ones sometimes take a while to catch on to the mystery of Hard Water….
Click any of these photos taken two months later to enlarge them all…
The juvenile below photographed in a similar pose to 151122 bird, almost two years later, — struggling with soft water….
Five days earlier, near the same spot:
And elsewhere:
On high perches and in flight:
Capturing herons in flight is always a bit of challenge, but rewarding when you succeed….
Click any of these photos from 150922 to enlarge them all…
When gliding towards a landing, or making a short takeoff and landing, GBHEs often stretch their necks out like the ones below:
Herons waiting:
Click any image to enlarge them all and read the full captions….
Herons foraging:
Winter GBHEs are no less discriminating…
And finally (“Whew!” you say), a few portrait shots:
And most recently, from December 30, 2017, in Thomson Marsh, West Pond….
Hope you enjoyed the show….
birds & musings 