Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Green Heron/Wild Bird

Green heron (Butorides virescens)

If I had to choose a favourite bird to watch, I'd likely choose the green heron. They are colourful characters. And they are SMART, one of a few animals known to use tools such as bread crusts, string or insects to lure fish.

It's a small heron, a wading bird, frequenting swamps, marshes and streams.

Same heron in different light

Until this one, I had seen only herons with yellow legs. Apparently this is a variety of green heron found in Florida. Hey, it must have heard how great Canada is and decided to visit!

I am joining Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

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47 comments:

  1. RevrunnerMay 14, 2013 at 5:50 AM

    Great capture! I've never had a camera handy when I've seen one, usually because I've seen them only from a canoe.

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  2. ViolaMay 14, 2013 at 5:59 AM

    oh, it's big! what a lovely beautiful bird! and its muscular legs!
    After having read your words I can figure out how smart the herons are!

    So fun they came to visit Canada! hope many more will come :)

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  3. Cezar and LéiaMay 14, 2013 at 6:37 AM

    This heron is cute and your pictures are excellent!
    Léia

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  4. Buttons ThoughtsMay 14, 2013 at 7:02 AM

    A "Snowbird" in reverse cool bird. B

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  5. Elizabeth EdwardsMay 14, 2013 at 7:24 AM

    awesome bird!! those colors are too cool!! ( :

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  6. Kerri FarleyMay 14, 2013 at 7:42 AM

    Magnificent! I LOVE these birds!

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  7. A Garden of ThreadsMay 14, 2013 at 8:10 AM

    They are beautiful birds and make the strangest sounds. Lovely photos.

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  8. MadSnapperMay 14, 2013 at 8:28 AM

    they are here in FL, i have only seen one three separate times...

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  9. NatureStopMay 14, 2013 at 8:57 AM

    Great capture of the Green Heron..very good looking...or is it your photography that makes it look better?:)Have a great day!

    Shantana

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  10. JennyMay 14, 2013 at 9:34 AM

    Such a handsome bird. Great shot that shows off his markings.

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  11. Gail DixonMay 14, 2013 at 9:35 AM

    Oh he's a pretty one! They usually stand like statues, barely moving when I've seen them. Great set!

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  12. SnowcatcherMay 14, 2013 at 9:47 AM

    I don't know that I've seen a green heron before, so this was good to see. Now I'll be able to identify them if I ever do see them!

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  13. TexWisGirlMay 14, 2013 at 10:28 AM

    we've had both yellow legs and orange legs here, too. i was surprised as well!

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  14. KarenMay 14, 2013 at 10:32 AM

    What a handsome bird, terrific captures!

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  15. SusanMay 14, 2013 at 10:51 AM

    What a beautiful bird. I am always so amazed at your photos. wonderful

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  16. PerthDailyPhotoMay 14, 2013 at 11:38 AM

    Gosh it looks like a different bird in the different light EG, I really enjoy your bird shots..I actually was in the right place WITH my long lens today, will post Thursday.

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  17. PearlMay 14, 2013 at 11:46 AM

    I don't think we have the green kind around here. I wonder if fish know they're being lured but are powerless to stop themselves from being pulled towards it?

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  18. RedPatMay 14, 2013 at 12:08 PM

    There was one that spent the summer at the pond in Wychwood a couple of summers ago and it was wonderful to watch him patrolling the area.

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  19. MalyssMay 14, 2013 at 12:22 PM

    I would have not think that a heron could be so small! I imagine them tall and thin. This one is very unusual to me , but I like its colors (and its cleverness!)

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  20. LONDONLULUMay 14, 2013 at 1:56 PM

    I love that first shot so much! What enchanting birds - we sometimes spot green herons here but they usually go by in a blur. Beautiful detail.

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  21. Lillian May 14, 2013 at 2:30 PM

    Fantastic photos !

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  22. ♥ Łucja-Maria ♥May 14, 2013 at 2:42 PM

    Lovely photos of herons.
    Very rarely I see them in the wild.
    Regards:)
    Lucia

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  23. Ruth HiebertMay 14, 2013 at 3:05 PM

    Great shots. I have never seen one of these,but sure would like to.

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  24. HansHBMay 14, 2013 at 3:25 PM

    Great serie!
    I do love herons!

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  25. Susan AndersonMay 14, 2013 at 4:01 PM

    Such interesting color in those last photos!

    =)

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  26. KarenMay 14, 2013 at 4:18 PM

    Great captures and wonderful birds.

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  27. UnknownMay 14, 2013 at 4:47 PM

    Great capture!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  28. Kenneth Cole SchneiderMay 14, 2013 at 5:00 PM

    Nice shots of the Greenie. Watching them hunt can be like watching the grass grow. They can stand motionless for a really long time, then spring into action.

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  29. mickMay 14, 2013 at 5:28 PM

    Great photos of the heron and the close up plumage is beautiful.

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  30. JanieMay 14, 2013 at 6:23 PM

    Great captures of this handsome fellow. And I'm impressed with his smart fishing techniques! I didn't know any bird used "lures". Fascinating!

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  31. eileeninmdMay 14, 2013 at 6:41 PM

    Love the Green heron, they are one of my favorites. I did not know about the leg color so I learned something new today. We usually can see the Green Heron nesting around Maryland in the summer months. great shots!

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  32. Coloring Outside the LinesMay 14, 2013 at 7:25 PM

    Both lovely shots, but I like the greenish tint in the first one best!

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  33. Rambling WoodsMay 14, 2013 at 7:35 PM

    Great photos of these clever birds

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  34. JillMay 14, 2013 at 8:03 PM

    LOVE that top shot. It's gorgeous!

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  35. StephanieMay 14, 2013 at 9:43 PM

    Wow! Great capture! Such nice features up close. Thanks for the treat of looking at these images.

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  36. JackMay 14, 2013 at 9:43 PM

    I don't see these very often in Florida and never in Connecticut. I especially like your top photo.

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  37. RoseMay 14, 2013 at 10:58 PM

    S/he is a beauty. I finally have seen a couple, but no opportunity to photograph them.

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  38. kayerjMay 14, 2013 at 11:13 PM

    beautiful bird

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  39. CarlettaMay 15, 2013 at 12:14 AM

    Love that first shot showing the feather pattern and the colors!
    Uh, he might be a long way from home. Vacationing perhaps. :)

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  40. DawnTreaderMay 15, 2013 at 4:03 AM

    Lovely bird and a super shot!

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  41. Hootin AnniMay 15, 2013 at 6:24 AM

    PRETTY!!!! What beautiful colors in the first photo share. Really shows the details of the back feathering.

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  42. Stewart MMay 15, 2013 at 7:47 AM

    Herons are one of my favourite sorts of bird - even when they are still, they are worth watching.

    Cheers and thanks for linking to WBW

    Stewart M - Melbourne

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  43. ArijaMay 15, 2013 at 7:52 AM

    The plumage in the first shot is just wonderfully captured.

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  44. AnonymousMay 15, 2013 at 9:25 PM

    Beautiful bird! You have to love a bird that uses tools to fish. :-)

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  45. AnonymousMay 16, 2013 at 10:19 AM

    Beautiful captures!

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  46. NeilMay 17, 2013 at 6:49 PM

    Beautiful Heron.

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  47. Esther JoyMay 19, 2013 at 7:51 PM

    Exquisite! I'd love to follow you around sometime! You get such great photos, and a wonderful variety!

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