 |  |  |
Herons in Action
A heron in flight at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Maryland, USA.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Blackwater NWR
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Blackwater NWR
In my bird watching trips, I have been fascinated not only by the majestic bald eagles with wing span up to 8
feet, but also by herons which are also big birds with wing span up to 6 feet. I have seen herons in action at
several national wildlife refuges (NWRs) in Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New
Jersey, and Virginia in USA and in Nova Scotia in Canada.
feet, but also by herons which are also big birds with wing span up to 6 feet. I have seen herons in action at
several national wildlife refuges (NWRs) in Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New
Jersey, and Virginia in USA and in Nova Scotia in Canada.
A heron in Bombay Hook NWR in Delaware. This NWR has several miles of auto touring loop to enable visitors
to get very close to watch and to photograph herons, snow geese, bald eagles and many other kinds of birds.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Bombay Hook NWR
to get very close to watch and to photograph herons, snow geese, bald eagles and many other kinds of birds.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Bombay Hook NWR
A blue heron in flight in Blackwater NWR in Maryland
A heron in Cape May Point State Park at lighthouse in southern New Jersey. There is a very nice observation
platform in this State Park for observation of fall migration of many hawks. I have also seen many ospreys
(fish hawks) hovering over a pond and diving from mid air down into the pond to catch fish in this State Park in
October.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Cape May Point State Park at Lighthouse
platform in this State Park for observation of fall migration of many hawks. I have also seen many ospreys
(fish hawks) hovering over a pond and diving from mid air down into the pond to catch fish in this State Park in
October.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Cape May Point State Park at Lighthouse
A heron caught a catfish in Blackwater NWR in Maryland
The heron is working on swallowing the catfish
The neck of the heron became bigger as it was swallowing the big catfish
Herons in Blackwater NWR in Maryland
A close up view of the head of heron
Herons in flight near Pea Patch Island in Delaware River near Delaware City
A blue heron over Eco-Pond near the Flamingo area visitor complex in southern portion of Everglades National
Park in Florida, USA. We also saw many white ibises and egrets roosting in the trees at the center of Eco
Pond.
A detailed Park Map of Everglades National Park is available at:
http://www.everglades.national-park.com/ever1.htm
Eco-Pond is near the Flamingo visitor Center at the southern edge of the park
Park in Florida, USA. We also saw many white ibises and egrets roosting in the trees at the center of Eco
Pond.
A detailed Park Map of Everglades National Park is available at:
http://www.everglades.national-park.com/ever1.htm
Eco-Pond is near the Flamingo visitor Center at the southern edge of the park
In touring these national wildlife refuges, we also saw many bald eagles, ospreys (fish hawks), pelicans, snow
geese, red-crowned sand hill cranes, and terns in addition to herons in action. Watching plunge diving large
sea bird, gannets, on Delaware Bay and puffins on bird islands in Newfoundland are also very interesting.
geese, red-crowned sand hill cranes, and terns in addition to herons in action. Watching plunge diving large
sea bird, gannets, on Delaware Bay and puffins on bird islands in Newfoundland are also very interesting.
A heron at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia where we also saw bald eagles in flight and many
wild horses on this (Assateague) barrier island off Virginia coast.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Chincoteague NWR
wild horses on this (Assateague) barrier island off Virginia coast.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Chincoteague NWR
Night Herons - On a Sunday evening, we missed a 3-hour ballroom dancing exercise due to scheduling conflict
in dancing place. Disappointed and on the way home, we did some hiking in the Davidsons Mill Pond County
Park in New Jersey as a substitute exercise and for bird watching. We hiked until it got very dark and were
surprised to see a big bird, probably night heron, flew in and landed near the Davidsons Mill Pond to catch
fish. After this one landed, we saw another one nearby but may not be the same kind of big bird. It was too
dark at night for my camera to take a good picture as shown above. I set my camera at Night SnapShot mode
to take this dark picture at night with the aid of a monopod. These night herons must have very good night
vision to enable them to see well to catch fish in the pond at night.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Davidsons Mill Pond county Park
Subsequently on October 16, 2010, we saw about 10 night herons in Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife
Refuge at sunset time as shown on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Autumn_Bird_Watching_in_Southern_New_Jersey.html
in dancing place. Disappointed and on the way home, we did some hiking in the Davidsons Mill Pond County
Park in New Jersey as a substitute exercise and for bird watching. We hiked until it got very dark and were
surprised to see a big bird, probably night heron, flew in and landed near the Davidsons Mill Pond to catch
fish. After this one landed, we saw another one nearby but may not be the same kind of big bird. It was too
dark at night for my camera to take a good picture as shown above. I set my camera at Night SnapShot mode
to take this dark picture at night with the aid of a monopod. These night herons must have very good night
vision to enable them to see well to catch fish in the pond at night.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Davidsons Mill Pond county Park
Subsequently on October 16, 2010, we saw about 10 night herons in Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife
Refuge at sunset time as shown on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Autumn_Bird_Watching_in_Southern_New_Jersey.html
Night Herons:
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) has a six and half mile driving loop to enable visitors to get very
close to watch herons and other wildlife in action. There are many (50 to 150) bald eagles and other birds in
this NWR.
close to watch herons and other wildlife in action. There are many (50 to 150) bald eagles and other birds in
this NWR.
Pea Patch Island in Delaware River is a summer home to nine different species of herons, egrets, and ibis.
The remote marshes and wooded area provide an outstanding habitat on north end of island for one of the
largest wading bird nesting areas on the East Coast (15,000 to 20,000 wading birds). There is an observation
platform overlooking the marsh for visitors to watch at a distance many herons, egrets, and ibis busily flying in
and out of their rookeries. Visitors can take a half mile ferry (Three Fort Ferry) from Delaware City to visit Pea
Patch Island. In touring this island, I saw many herons, egrets and a bald eagle in flight.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Pea Patch Island
The remote marshes and wooded area provide an outstanding habitat on north end of island for one of the
largest wading bird nesting areas on the East Coast (15,000 to 20,000 wading birds). There is an observation
platform overlooking the marsh for visitors to watch at a distance many herons, egrets, and ibis busily flying in
and out of their rookeries. Visitors can take a half mile ferry (Three Fort Ferry) from Delaware City to visit Pea
Patch Island. In touring this island, I saw many herons, egrets and a bald eagle in flight.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Pea Patch Island
On March 2, 2011, we toured a heron rookery in Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio and saw hundreds of
herons busily working on their nests high up on several trees as shown on my Travelogue web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Heron_Rookery_in_Ohio.html
herons busily working on their nests high up on several trees as shown on my Travelogue web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Heron_Rookery_in_Ohio.html
Please press the F11 key on your keyboard to get full-screen view of photos and web page. Pressing F11 key
again will return to your normal screen with various tool bars.
again will return to your normal screen with various tool bars.