Great blue herons do not flock. I know this for a fact, from years of careful observation. On Canada’s rivers and lakes, they live and hunt in majestic solitude. Indeed, I have never seen even two great blue herons hanging out.
For that matter, I’ve never seen baby great blue herons, either.
Until this trip to Florida.
Honey, I’m home!
No, no, I’m sure no one can see us . . .
He didn’t get that big head from my side of the family.
Neat! I have seen herons all the time on Horseshoe Lake, near Parry Sound and where we had a trailer for some 20 years, but always alone. Nice to see them in company.
Tom
Tom – I know! I guess they get their fill of family time during breeding season.
There is a long-established, easily observed, GBH rookery here in CLE. Come in spring sometime. It makes for an interesting, somewhat prehistoric, setting.
Ralph – Will do. What constitutes “spring” in Cleveland?
Nice images Isabel. Surprised there is a chick that big at this time of year, but glad it was there for you to see.
There are a couple of rookeries/heroneries just south of town, one on 416, can’t remember where the other one is – we went by it just the other day….).
The one off 416 in the middle of swamps so VERY difficult to get to (I admit I haven’t tried, but have talked to people who have)
Jim R – He/she surprised me, too. Today I saw smaller chicks, but also some about the same size. I didn’t realize that the hatching times would vary so much. As for slogging through swamps, umm, maybe not. I think I prefer wandering up on a well-maintained boardwalk, with shade available as needed.
I don’t think there are many alligators in swamps around Cleveland. Now, if you were trying to take photos in Washington, DC, where President Tweet promised to “drain the swamp”…
Jim T
Jim T – No, I don’t suppose alligators thrive in Cleveland. It’s been so unseasonably cold on our Florida trip that there have been reports of iguanas falling out of trees.