Joe found a blue heron in our pond yesterday morning. And while you are all excited thinking "Wow, cool"--I am not so excited. 1) Because blue heron eat pond inhabitants and 2) my pond is the size of a spittoon and we don't want him hanging around these parts. I don't really have any fish for him to eat, the minnows dove for cover in their little fish house, but I did have to check the skimmer for the frog. I was really hoping that dopey bird didn't eat my frog.
Then there is reason #3--thanks to my dear friend, Wendy. After I told her our finding, she reminded me of that yahoo over at the garden store who said it was a heron that ate my fish last summer. Crap. She would bring that up. Sheesh.
I will go down saying that it was NOT a heron that did my fish in last summer--I think this visit is pure coincidence. AND I'm not giving that dude at the garden store any credence. I'm sticking with the raccoons--they did all sorts of damage that blue heron do not do.
And while Pterry the Pterodactyl took off with his 6 foot wing span when Joe took out the garbage, I did manage to capture his footprints on the flagstone:
And because I'm super creative with my Photoshop Elements, I drew them out so you could actually make out the evidence. Although I'm sure Sharkey would have figured it out without my help--she's good with stuff like that.
And in case you were wondering--yes, Hobbes was outside for all of this. But somehow I think he was hiding. Seriously. He appeared only when Joe and I went back out to check out the footprints. Apparently he wasn't messin' with that bird.
29 comments:
I thought they were only in Florida or something-everything in S FL is named that. What do I know. North suburbs never get anything that exciting. Only Lin. Glad Hobbes is safe.
You mentioned blue heron yesterday my first thought was for the safety of Frog. For years we watched the great blue patrol our lakefront. They are voracious, and great fishers, too.
footnote for Helene: I think the great blue heron is indigenous to all states on the continent. I don't know about Hawaii.
Great photoshop work!!! It was like I was right there looking at the footy-prints.
Helene--Look at any pond or wetland in your area, Helene--I'm sure you have them. You just have to watch for them. Let me know if you spy any!
Vanilla--I don't think it got any food, so I'm hoping it doesn't come back. I also checked with my neighbor and she doesn't have any fish in her pond either. I'm hoping he doesn't return!
Highway--Right??! I may not need that PSE class afterall!! Hee! Hee!
I am gonna use my favorite word here...SHIT!
May I suggest taping a map this is ever so large foot (or beak) that contains the directions to Lake Michigan--a suitable body of water. Or if you prefer you can send him to my street where he can wade in the large puddle turned duck pond at my curb. A sign of more stupid fowl. lol
I thought of your poor frog instantly! Have you spotted him yet?
We have herons here. They stick to the swampy lands and water runoffs. I have yet to see one in my yard, although it's becoming quite a nice swamp after all this rain....
VERY talented work on the PS footprints! I saw the first photo and couldn't figure it out. Thanks for the visual aid.
Oh my...I have seen Blue Herons on the coast of Vancouver Island, but thought they were more of a coastal bird.Not sure why they would like your little pond. Hope the froggies are all OK>
Ha ha....I remember your post on Garden Dude!
We get those birdies in our yard sometimes; they make a LOUD sound! I am a little bit skerred they could peck my eyeballs out.
I hope the CSI people don't see this post because they are going to want you to come and work with them.
I don't blame Hobbes for not messing with that bird. We have a lot of hawks around here and they will take a cat or small dog if they are roaming unaccompanied.
We see them around here often. They are usually flying by. It's neat, the way they fold their necks like a saxophone when they fly. Makes them easy to spot in flight.
When you posted the pic of Colin's friend standing next to the pond wearing waders I thought, "Man, that pond isn't very big!" I agree with you, a Great Blue is not a great thing to have around your pretty little pond. Tell him to go hang out by the duck & wheel!
That's actually a little scary...Not to sure I would want a bird that big in my yard!
Blogger at my comment!!!!! I hate you Blogger!!
It was a good and funny comment. You'll have to trust me on that.
The end.
OK, not the end. Why can't I do word verification? There is no word there! Now I have to copy my comment so I don't lose it when I refresh.
I'm telling you, I with that Pterodactyl would eat Blogger!
And now I'm laughing my bloody head off with the spelling errors I made in my comment because I was so mad at Blogger.
It ATE my comment.And I WISH that Pterodactyl would eat Blogger.
OMG. I'm leaving now. Forget I was even here.
I love herons. In Jersey we had blue, white and green. Out here I have blue.
They sit on top of the trees. They look so funny when they land.
Holy pterodactyl is right!!! Wow- we used to get them in our creak in SW VA, but that was much bigger than your frog pond. Hope he's OK!
That reminds me of this weird little girl I had once while teaching. The 2nd graders were drawing examples of duck architecture, you know, draw a building that looks like what it sells. My example was a bakery that looked like a cake. This one little girl, who was a bit off in more ways than one, drew this amazing pterodactyl building. I asked her what the building sold and she said, "pterodactyl cakes." Hahahhahahah....um...what??!??!
Hobbes is one smart cat! I wouldn't mess with a Blue Heron either.
I bet a relative of one of those raccoons from last year hired that blue heron to scope out your pond. I think that would have freaked me out to see one of those in my back yard although I'm quite sure Duke would have been very brave about it
Was it a pigeon toed heron? LOL! Hope he doesn't come back and get any frogs and especially not Hobbes!
Sounds like you now need a "Scare Heron" or ...something like a alligator ....! Fran's Dad
Junk Drawer Kathy you're making me laugh. It happens to me all the time. I'm going to start typing my comments in Word or something. I've had several wonderful (to me anyway) comments that have vanished.
Thanks for the education guys-I did look it up in Wiki. I think one of my aunts used to live on Blue Heron Dr in Florida or something. I'm too old for this. Who wants to take bets on if I pass the CPA exam? I'll do fine once they get rid of the numbers!
Jodi--That is a good word for this guy, Jodi. I think I used it myself. I'm hoping that that lack of a buffet here will prevent him from returning. Keep your fingers crossed!
Rebecca--Frog is okay. Whew! My frogs are used to hiding when Hobbes comes around, so I think that will help them survive if this guy returns. (Let's hope not!) I'm great with the photoshop, aren't I? ;)
Hot Rocks--We live near a canal and we get all sorts of interesting birds, so maybe he was just flying over when he saw our pond. I'm surprised he noticed it because it is pretty small. AND our yard is REALLY small for him to land in. I'm still wondering about that one.
Daisy--Hahaha! I think Hobbes and Grace were skerred too! Grace was inside and glad not to be out there. :) Watch your eyeballs, Daisy!
Betty--Can you even imagine me doing criminal sketches???!
Anne--I think that bird would be surprised trying to lift Hobbes into his mouth!!
Chuck--Yeah, they are cool SOMEWHERE ELSE, Chuck! (I like to see them fly overhead too--they look like pterodactyl, don't they?)
Diana--It's a glorified spittoon, Diana. And my yard is REALLY small, so how he landed here is what amazes me. I would think he would need a runway to land that body!
Grace--NO KIDDING! Hobbes must have been terrified....and a little excited to see that thing.
Kathy--Oh, darn it! Sorry Kathy. I think there is a black hole for cool comments on Blogger--I've lost a few myself. Even my own on my own blog!! Ugh. I'm glad you came and made us laugh anyway. :)
Pricilla--I would have loved to see that goofy bird land in my yard! I'm thinking he had to hover like a helicopter!
Nancy--Yeah, pterodactyl cakes....LOVE those! She probably has a wacky mom like me. :P The frog is okay--he was hiding in the skimmer. He's pretty skittish and hides when he sees Hobbes coming. Whew!
DJ--I wonder if they are mean? I guess I don't want to find out!
Ann--I think it is an evil plot by the garden store guy to prove he's right after all. I just saw him the other day and I don't think he likes me. I always go over and talk to him just to annoy him. ;)
Beaded Tail--I think he was dancing or something with that foot placement. Dang, those were BIG footprints! I think he's gone because he didn't find any food. Keep your fingers crossed!
Fran's Dad--I'm thinking the cement goose may have to come out from behind the shed. Unless it is a male heron and might think it's a girlfriend.....
Helene--I think you'll be fine on the CPA exam--there are no nature questions. If there are, you know about heron now! ;)
Hey! Come stop by and see your visitor's twin!
Lola's Diner
I bet it was scary to see a large bird in the pond, eh?
I'm glad you and Joe handled the heron well.
They are gigantic birds and we are so glad that Hobbes stayed out of the way. It just might have eaten your fish. Love the foot prints. Take care.
Lola--Hey, maybe you could give them MY goose. You know, as a friend for theirs.....
Anonymous--Oh, nobody "handled" that bird--he took off when he saw Joe. I'm not sure who was more scared of the other!
Marg--Fortunately, I don't have any large fish anymore--the raccoons took care of that last summer. :( My minnows hid in their fish house, so he couldn't find any food. I'm hoping that dissuades him from coming back.
Wow! I had no idea those guys knew their way around the city! Better get froggy a hiding place quick though. Around our pond, we see herons hunting frogs all the time! Yep, I think it's pretty tasty for them--and for a bird that big?? Maybe Hobbs better keep hiding too!
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