Yet Another Green Heron

Though this wasn't the first Green Heron I saw this season (that heron would be here), this might be the best look I've gotten of one thus far this season.

This was taken after one of the Farmers' Market events on a Sunday. I was snooping around the Rain Garden [1] when I saw something that (to paraphrase Yogi Bear) was "bigger than the average bird". Initially could barely see the heron, but eventually it emerged from dense foliage and I got some pretty good looks.

Since the Rain Garden isn't (normally) connected to a larger body of water (Duke's Brook is closest), I doubt that there were any fish for the heron. I know there were frogs there though, and it probably has the ecosystem of a long-lived vernal pond. And the shallowness of the water during the drought probably makes it harder for any animals in there to hide from predators like herons.

Green Herons are considered to be one of the relatively few tool-using birds. Don't expect them to be running circular saws or power drills though. Their strategy to look for fish by putting bait in the water (usually a stick, leaf, or feather) is deemed to be tool use.
June 26, 2022 at Duke Farms
Photo 211849658, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

[1] The Rain Garden handles the water that the parking lot bioswales can't handle. I'm not sure if it dried out entirely this summer, but it looked to be on the way to drying out the last time I was there.


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