Today I taped this green heron using his wing to provide shade. Either he was shading his head, or the local drought has him confused and he thought he was standing in water (since water would usually be where he was) and he was shading the "water" to get a better view or to coax fish into the shade. Although I've not heard of green heron's doing this, I have read of heron's that do.
9 replies to this topic
#2
fisherman1313
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Konk La Ree
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Posted 28 July 2012 - 03:55 AM
I've never heard of Green Herons doing that either, but I have heard of them using bait to attract fish. Can you post a pic?
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#3
Dustie
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Posted 28 July 2012 - 04:10 AM
I've added the video I uploaded to Youtube. Wish I'd been closer and could have gotten more detail in his face, but any closer I'd have spooked him. This video is zoomed in... the original video also has a little Louisana Waterthrush in it along with a butterfly. They were all sharing the shoreline.
#4
fisherman1313
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Konk La Ree
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Posted 28 July 2012 - 04:27 AM
Looks to me like the bird is looking for some source of irritation.
New Year's Resolutions:
Get my lifelist to 300 (currently 293)
Finally get Mountain Quail and Vesper Sparrow
Top my previous single year best (2011-253) I'm at 193 as of 5/12.
Latest Lifer(s):Harris's Sparrow, Oka Ponds, Campbell, CA, 1/1/13
Favorite Recent Bird(s):Blue-winged Teal (Pair), Peregrine Falcon, Sanderling (3),Franklin's Gull (9), Modesto Wastewater Treatment Facility, Modesto, CA, 5/12/13, MacGillivray's Warber, Adair Rd., Modesto, CA, 5/5/13, Long-eared Owl, Mercy Hot Springs, Fresno County, CA, 4/29/13, Lawrwnce's Goldfinch, Panoche Shool, San Benito County, CA, 4/29/13,Lawrwnce's Goldfinch, McHenry Rec Area, Escalon, CA, 4/21/13, Snowy Plover, Modesto Water Treatment Plant, Modesto, CA, 4/14/13, Blue-winged Teal, Redhead, San Luis NWR, Merced County, CA, 3/11/13, Eurasian Wigeon, American Bittern, Santa Fe Grade Rd., Merced County,, CA, 3/9/13
#5
Dustie
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Posted 28 July 2012 - 04:34 AM
Just discovered, if you want to see a larger version, click the title on the video and it will take you to the youtube page. Once there you can make it full screen size.
#6
Dustie
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Posted 28 July 2012 - 04:44 AM
Fisherman...I don't think that's it. At first I thought that he was just going to preening, but after watching for a minute it was apparent that wasn't the case. He slowly raised his wing held it in the same exact pose for more then a couple minutes (I only produced 30 seconds because any longer and people would get bored watching) and he never plucked at his wing the whole time...just held his head under it. Very odd....
#7
Benjamin DeHaven
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Posted 28 July 2012 - 05:11 AM
Based on what I see in the video, assuming this basically was representative of what happened I too say it is preening. I am basing it off of the position, the beak slightly opening and shutting, and he is moving the beak in an expected manner. I have seen many hot herons and egrets in my day. The only thing I've ever seen them do I'd this weird move were they spread out their shoulders and wingpits (pardon the technical jargon) as much as possible while still keeping the tips tucked back.
Based on those two things I say this bird is preening. And if he was just shading himself why is his head moving? This is a bird known to stand statue still for long periods of time. Just my 2 cents based on what I see.
Benjamin
Based on those two things I say this bird is preening. And if he was just shading himself why is his head moving? This is a bird known to stand statue still for long periods of time. Just my 2 cents based on what I see.
Benjamin
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#8
Dustie
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Posted 28 July 2012 - 08:18 AM
I used a shortened version of the original video and lightened up the video so it can be seen that he never actually touches his feathers the whole time. You can see it pretty clearly if you go to youtube and look at the larger version. Just click on the title of the video.
I think that his lack of actual preening is what struck me as odd and made me think he was shading, either his head, or the ground. But you're probably right about something bothering his wing... I don't think he's preening though.. the head movements make it appear he's looking for something to me.
I think that his lack of actual preening is what struck me as odd and made me think he was shading, either his head, or the ground. But you're probably right about something bothering his wing... I don't think he's preening though.. the head movements make it appear he's looking for something to me.
#9
fisherman1313
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Konk La Ree
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Posted 28 July 2012 - 05:20 PM
The bird appears to be searching the underside of the wing, as I said it looks like it's looking for something that's causing some kind of irritation.
New Year's Resolutions:
Get my lifelist to 300 (currently 293)
Finally get Mountain Quail and Vesper Sparrow
Top my previous single year best (2011-253) I'm at 193 as of 5/12.
Latest Lifer(s):Harris's Sparrow, Oka Ponds, Campbell, CA, 1/1/13
Favorite Recent Bird(s):Blue-winged Teal (Pair), Peregrine Falcon, Sanderling (3),Franklin's Gull (9), Modesto Wastewater Treatment Facility, Modesto, CA, 5/12/13, MacGillivray's Warber, Adair Rd., Modesto, CA, 5/5/13, Long-eared Owl, Mercy Hot Springs, Fresno County, CA, 4/29/13, Lawrwnce's Goldfinch, Panoche Shool, San Benito County, CA, 4/29/13,Lawrwnce's Goldfinch, McHenry Rec Area, Escalon, CA, 4/21/13, Snowy Plover, Modesto Water Treatment Plant, Modesto, CA, 4/14/13, Blue-winged Teal, Redhead, San Luis NWR, Merced County, CA, 3/11/13, Eurasian Wigeon, American Bittern, Santa Fe Grade Rd., Merced County,, CA, 3/9/13
#10
Dustie
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Posted 28 July 2012 - 09:12 PM
Thanks for your thoughts Fisherman. I was glad to tape him doing this as I love to try to get out of the ordinary video when I can.
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