Thursday, November 7, 2013

~~"More Of The Mouse Eater"~~~


 If you saw yesterdays post you know about the great Blue Heron eating the mouse!!
I had lots of comments from people whom like myself had no idea they ate such things !!
Some knew that and had seen it happen and one told me that they even eat red squirrels !!

Of course my curiosity took over , and after some searches and viewing a  few YouTube videos
I was amazed!!  I wasn't exactly thrilled  with the video of it eating a duckling, but as a few comment's
read food and opportunity aren't given up!!

Yes Sondra , as you wondered  "they do hack up a pellet "  !!  :))

Three photo's below where taken at the same time as yesterday's post where


Here he is strolling of, but seems to still looking like he has something to swallow !!!






Heading of into the direction where there is some swampy water in the field!!

A few days later I was laying back in a chair on the deck with a headache!!
When I stood up later there he was about 50 feet from the deck !!


I stepped inside got the camera and got two shot's
 before he ran of behind the cedar hedge!!


Love that long neck!!  : )


One of my thought about his presents in the backyard area, of which I have never seen one 
in the yard or to be seen for a couple of weeks here , is that duck hunting season started 
the second week of October!!
Since I am only a 8 minute walk from the river I have heard a lot of shooting going on down there!!
I wondered if he might have gotten a few stray pellets from a  bird shot shell, and he was staying away
from the river which is where I usually see them!!
Don,t know !!

Well I have a few more shot's for tomorrow of him
Hope you don't get bored with this!!  : )



42 comments:

  1. what a beaut' looking heron Grace; and that would've taken your mind off your headache when you saw it on your lawn! That must've made you feel real good to have it come looking for you :)

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    1. Thanks Carole... lol yes it did totally forgot all about it!!

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  2. he is a stately one. i never tire of seeing them.

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  3. he is a beauty....love those last 2 shots as he baths in the sun!!

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  4. He is a beautiful fellow! How cool that he strolled in so close so you could take pictures.

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  5. Awesome shots of your Heron visitor, Grace! I hope it is safe from the hunters. Have a great evening!

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  6. Love these photos. That is One Long Neck! My word. I think he has taken sanctuary with you, Grace, to protect him from the hunters. He chose wisely.

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    1. Thanks Jean... Ya they don't want to mess with me and my Heron!! : )

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  7. Probably just doesn't like all the noise the hunters with their guns make. Wonder if you could toss him a hot dog from the deck, would he eat it.

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  8. Great to see him return and who know, he may get used to you place and come every duck hunting season. I hope it was just the noise and unrest that made him move away from the river rather than having been injured.

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  9. Wonderful photos ! Hey I guess when your chasing your food ya take what you can get lol ! Thanks for sharing . Have a good day !

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  10. Yup we are are few minuets from the river here to and lots of gun shots have been going in the valley for hunting season as well !

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  11. My idea is that he has a special 'bond' with you and enjoys having his picture taken.Whatever it is,I am enjoying all these shots.

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    1. Thanks Ruth,,, I feel good that he feels safe here!! : )

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  12. Hi Grace, amazing story I didn´t know they´re eating mouse!
    Good catch here !

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    1. Thanks Lasse... Learn something everyday : )) !!

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  13. Hi Grace...It obviously knows where it can get a friendly welcome and be safe from the hunters. And it cured you headache too, you can't get better than that!!...[;o)

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    1. Thanks Trevor...Yes it certainly did , better then any pills for a headache!! : )))

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  14. HI Grace Well this tory was fascinating but thesse last photos ar superb. Yes the long neck is great but the sstripes on it and down his body aare fantastic. Trevor's right, it sure stoped your headache!!

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    1. Thanks Margaret...Yes I love the pattern down the front of his body too!! : )

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  15. That is some great shots GG.
    He has certainly wised up to know where its safest to hang out.
    Our Herons will eat a lot of different things as well. They are not fussy.{:))

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    1. Thanks Roy... It was a surprise to me when I saw those little feet and head
      of a mouse hanging out of it's bill!! : ))

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  16. It's great that he's hanging around! Whenever I sit outside I always take my camera with me, because sure enough if I don't something will pop up in the yard. You need a heron blind!

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  17. Lucky you, to have such a visitor

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  18. How beautiful! I didn't see many of them this year. Will have to backtrack to find out about the mouse :-)

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  19. He is magnificent! Great shots Grace.

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  20. Your thoughts as to why this heron has started showing up in your back yard just might be accurate, Grace.

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  21. poor baby, grace!!

    how's that?!?!

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  22. Grace, nice shot of a juvenile Great Blue Heron. The extensive streaking n the neck is the main clue, as well as the different facial pattern. I believe you are correct in your assessment of its behavior. It is learning the way of the wild and hopefully it has learned to avoid the sounds of gunshots. This is probably its first time encountering such danger!

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  23. Beautiful photos, grammie g! Not just here, but on your title page and throughout the pages I've seen so far. I picked a blue heron post to say so, because it is a favorite of mine...and I wish I saw them often enough to get some close-ups like you did.

    I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they eat mice, but I was. Thanks for sharing. I like to learn new things.

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