Birdwatching Spectacle

Yesterday, I was rewarded with two new bird sightings; and, I was thrilled!

First, as I was out in my garden during the early morning, I saw an unnamed brown bird fly past me.  I had regularly seen this bird along my driveway, as I would leave and return to the farm; but, never in my yard.  Research verified the species to be a Brown Thrasher.  Nevertheless, that was not the real excitement.  No…in my vigilance, the elation was in observing a baby Brown Thrasher.  That’s right…another cute baby bird to add to my list of firsts.  (Remember the baby Blue Jay I witnessed just a few days ago?)

Then, later in the evening, Glenn asked me to go out on an ATV ride.  How could I refuse such a romantic proposal?

We rode down to the pond where I had wanted to chill out, be still, and hopefully witness a  Great Blue Heron fishing; rather eating Glenn’s stocked fish.   I fancy my herons; and, I detest the fish.  The fish nibble/bite at my bare flesh when I attempt to enjoy a swim, and they muddy the once clear, spring-fed water.  Glenn articulated that without the fish, we would have no herons visiting.  OK…fish it is.

We stopped and parked the ATV near the fence that encircles the pond; walking the last few feet to the edge of the water.  Glenn got there first and roused a bird.  The bird flew to the unfinished deck.  I strained to make out that the bird was one I have never seen before.  The lone bird was a heron alright, but not the Great Blue I was anticipating…it was the much shorter, almost neckless, Green Heron; and, not really green at all.  This bird’s coloring was more blue and rust, than green.  Within seconds, this odd heron flew away.

I decided to hang out on the same unfinished deck waiting for this heron to return.  The deck is located at the deep end of the pond, and I assumed the heron would return to the opposite, shallow side of the pond.  After all, that is where I view most heron tracks adorning the mud.

I did not have to wait long.  The funny, little Green Heron returned within minutes; I got my second wonderful glimpse of a bird I never considered I would ever see, ever; let alone at my pond.

The Green Heron is not the tall, stately Great Blue; but, watching this heron is just as captivating.