Great Blue Heron - East Beaver Creek

[Rotarran]

There's a Great Blue Heron living in and near the East Beaver Creek lands.  If you go see it, please tread carefully because it's very close to Highway 404 and he/she's easily startled.  Enjoy:



Edit: I should mention that I do see BoP's on a regular basis in this park...most likely Red Tails.

[MEGHAN]

Nice find for this chilly time of year.
Always a few around in the winter, but I have never found one.

[Rotarran]

Thank you.  My eyes almost popped out when I saw it...was looking for Cedar Waxwings and then this thing flew by.

[Palo]

Nice find and great shot!  My kid said that they look almost prehistoric. We spotted one at the Rouge a few days ago.  Again my wife got the shot... not me.

[Rotarran]

Thanks Palo.  Yeah they sure look quite different.  That's the beauty of birds though, there is so much variety in shapes, colours, patterns, size, behaviour, rarity...etc.

And it's interesting that your son said that it looks prehistoric because most scientists now agree that all birds are direct descendants from dinosaurs (the two-legged kind).  So in a way dinosaurs did not die out, they evolved...and are not only surviving but thriving.  Birds could be the most numerous of all animals orders.  I'm sure insects have got them beat in numbers, but that's ok, it's just more food for the birds hehe.  

All in all not bad for a group of animals said to have gone extinct due to the ice age.

[cosmo3667]

Great find I sure would not of expected to see one this time of the year hope its ok and can survive the rest of the winter

[Palo]

Thanks Palo.  Yeah they sure look quite different.  That's the beauty of birds though, there is so much variety in shapes, colours, patterns, size, behaviour, rarity...etc.

And it's interesting that your son said that it looks prehistoric because most scientists now agree that all birds are direct descendants from dinosaurs (the two-legged kind).  So in a way dinosaurs did not die out, they evolved...and are not only surviving but thriving.  Birds could be the most numerous of all animals orders.  I'm sure insects have got them beat in numbers, but that's ok, it's just more food for the birds hehe.  

All in all not bad for a group of animals said to have gone extinct due to the ice age.

My little girl , loves nature in all it's forms and one of her favourite things to do, is to leaf through nature magazines looking for photos of plants and animals.  I mentioned to her about the Dinosaur/Bird connection and was fascinated.  Needless to say, she's my biggest fan, and I'm of hers. Cheers