Great Blue Heron

[Per Swenson]

Hi Ya,

Let me put this into perspective.

I was way to slow and loud.

This huge bird was sitting in my lawn chair.

That would be the blob first pic lower right.

It was the size of my sons 16 year old friend except with

feathers. (Both looking for a meal)

He heard me coming. I heard him going.

Sounded like some one opening and closing a beach umbrella.

Per

[Jeff Kerr]

Cool Pick.

I've got one of those living in the pond in my neighbors yard. See him fly in and out from time to time.

[Dave Hale]

Got one down at the out-laws. Likes to tag along when we're 4-wheeling.

If you got in the mood, Per, you could make him a helluva birdhouse so he wouldn't have to use your chair.

[Joe Pelonio]

Looks like the one that ate half my pond goldfish a year ago. Very impressive though, aren't they?

[Gary Keedwell]

Looks like the one that ate half my pond goldfish a year ago. Very impressive though, aren't they?

Same here...Looks like the one in my back yard feeding on my gold fish and Koi. (OUCH)

Gary K.

[John Schreiber]

I see them in the woods near here. It's enough to make your heart stop to look at them.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, these are magnificent birds. I remember one coming every summer to the pond near the home I grew up in. Now, of course, I hope they stay away from my small pond and its residents!

[Mike Heidrick]

Terry, as my wife has named the bird, visits our pond most every morning. I have huge tracks in the mud from it. Pretty cool as they are by the deer prints so it looks neat to see the two together. Sometimes I can sit on the deck and watch him eat fish and frogs with the binoculars. You can see him watching you the whole time.

Very cool pictures!!

[Lee Schierer]

We have a rookery to the west of our house several miles away. I don't know the exact location. Every day at about sunrise and near sunset we see several of these birds winging their way to or from home. They are cool to watch if you can ever get close to one while they are hunting for food.

[Brad Schmid]

They are pretty cool to watch, although not sure I'd want to share my chair with one

We had one in our backyard pond eating the goldfish about 5 yrs ago. We put out some rather large (24") rubber toy snakes and he (along with the egrets) haven't come back since. Either they don't like snakes, or the rubber didn't taste very good

[Greg Cole]

Heron's are a majestic bird to me with the grace, balance and ability to stand on one leg for what seems like an eternity.
Then again, I helped an uncle stock a trout pond many years ago, only to have to restock it the fllowing year (thanks to Herons according to a Vermont Game Warden.. aka my grandfather).
One other thing with a Heron, if they are around where you might be asleep in the morning you won't be asleep long... they make the most obnoxious noise that saounds 1/2 goose and 1/2 air horn.

Greg

[Jim DeLaney]

Looks like the one that ate half my pond goldfish a year ago. Very impressive though, aren't they?

Less impressive when they eat about $200.00 worth of Koi and other fish from your pond. DAMHIKT...

[Curt Fuller]

Those are great pictures Per! You did well to get them.
A couple winters ago I was delivering concrete to a job nearly everyday. Along the way there was a Great Blue Heron that would stand in the Weber River, in the same spot, almost every day. It became something to look forward to each day going to the job. So I got all poetic and thoughtful and wrote this poem...

The Heron

There's a Heron standing in the river
I drive past nearly every day
Standing patiently on one leg
Whiling its time away
Always alone in quiet solitude
A beautiful bird, every feather in place
Immaculate poise and amazing grace

[Rich Stewart]

I hear you can keep them away from your pond by putting a fake one up. Maybe one of them bronze statues. I have a couple hundred bucks worth of Koi and different goldfish but my pond is between a fence and my shed so they would have to helicopter in and fly striahgt up to get away if threatened. They, so far, have not been willing to take the chance. We also have a fair amount of Ospreys here. I have never lost a fish.

[Carl Crout]

I have blue herons and cranes on my farm that go from pond to pond fishing....