![\"Photo](\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/GreenHeronJuvenileGetawayonNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg\")
<\/a>\nWho or what’s this?<\/em><\/p>\n
Green Herons Can Be Shy or Bold<\/h2>\n
I had slowed down well before approaching the water\u2019s edge because I wanted to count how many Green Frogs were out and about. I also saw some butterflies enjoying the \u2018invasive alien\u2019 Purple Loosestrife and I was trying to get a photo of each for my collection of \u201ccreatures that actually like Purple Loosestrife\u201d set. A slight movement to my left through the tall grasses, rushes, reeds and cattails caught my eye.<\/p>\n At first I thought I was seeing a half-grown mallard watching me. Then it moved and the neck arched out far longer than any ducks. A crest flickered up and down, then the bird stepped cautiously further away along the bank. This young Green Heron was one of the more common shy ones and it wasn\u2019t sure what I was. In some places where Green Herons see people fairly steadily they can be bolder and more easily approached.<\/p>\n I had seen a report on eBird that there was a family of Green Herons in the area so although pleased I wasn\u2019t overly surprised to see this one. Considering I could see six Green Frogs ranging in size from a half-a-thumb to an over-sized golf ball, I was a bit surprised that it was having trouble finding a snack. There were many minnows in the inlet, too, mostly very small ones.<\/p>\n I checked my bird guides at home and found Green Herons do eat frogs and minnows and many other water\u2019s-edge creatures.<\/p>\n It may not have been very hungry or it may not have been much good at hunting for itself. It spent most of its time standing on various rocks stretching and shrinking its neck and looking nervous. Unfortunately, it chose rocks where my view and aim was obscured with vegetation.<\/p>\n I was staying still taking photos of the frogs and butterflies, the alien Flowering Rushes and the native Cattails, so it wasn\u2019t worried about me.<\/p>\n After about 10 minutes, it flew out to an island in midstream where several uprooted trees make for a good collection of perches and places to hunt. I hope it had more success out there.<\/p>\n It isn\u2019t obvious from any of my photos why this bird is called a Green Heron. The juveniles aren\u2019t particularly green. Adults, however, have a green tone to their backs. Adults also have a solid rust-coloured chest not streaks.<\/p>\n When I continued my walk, I kept an eye on dead trees in the area for birds. Many types perch to search for food, danger, and rivals. To my surprise, one very tall dead tree had a Green Heron perched on it. I couldn\u2019t tell from the distance if it was the same juvenile I had seen earlier or not. If it hadn\u2019t been so hot, I might have walked closer to find out but it was time to find some shade and some iced water, so I left it in peace.<\/p>\n Related Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n Join In<\/strong> It pays to approach the water’s edge slowly and quietly, especially when there are nervous “teenagers” nearby. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[25,363,176,575],"class_list":["post-5188","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-focus","tag-birds","tag-credit-river","tag-green-frog","tag-green-heron"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5188","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5188"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5188\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5192,"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5188\/revisions\/5192"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a>
\nA Cabbage White enjoys a sip of sweetness.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nWatching a Juvenile Green Heron Hunt Is Entertaining<\/h2>\n
\nI watched as this juvenile stepped hesitantly this way and that. It flashed up its crest, then ruffled it slowly down. It actually bobbed its tail end a couple of times not unlike a Spotted Sandpiper. The little heron couldn\u2019t seem to decide whether to stay on the one side of the inlet or cross a metre to the far side.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nWhy Is This Brown-Blue-Grey and Rust Bird Called a Green Heron?<\/h2>\n
<\/a>
\nA skipper, probably a Wild Indigo Duskywing<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nAre Green Herons Always Difficult to Find?<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\n
\nDo you have Green Herons nesting near you? Please share your sighting with a comment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"