Beginning to Smell Like Fall

At the Fish Pond it seems a little cooler, the sun takes a little longer to make its way over the tree tops in the morning and this years babies have become this years juveniles. All signs that the end of summer will soon be here in northern Michigan.


While I haven’t seen the baby ducks from a few weeks ago other duck families have winged their way back to the pond. A male Wood Duck, less his colorful spring plumage but still very handsome, has also found his way back home.


The major event of note this week was the encounter I got to observe between a young hunter and a family of herons. Unfortunately it happened so fast I didn’t have the opportunity to get any photos of it.


I arrived a little late and had trouble getting set up to shoot. I was happy that I hadn’t spooked the ducks feeding at the far end of the pond and if I was lucky I hoped they would make their way closer to my photo blind. While I was trying to determine what kind and how many waterfowl were visiting that morning the water’s surface filled with large shadows followed immediately by the distressed calls of a Great Gray Heron.

It was actually three herons, what I assume was a juvenile and its parents. The juvenile was circling down into the pond with a young Bald Eagle trying to attack it from above while the older herons tried to drive it away.

The exchange lasted for just a few seconds and ended as fast as it began when one of the adult herons made a determined stab at the eagle with its beak. The young raptor decided right away that it did not wish to tangle with what must have seemed to him to be a very large flying dagger.



What I assumed was an older heron and the one who had been the subject of the attack landed a large branch that overhangs the pond off to my right while the remaining heron chased the young eagle into a pine tree to the left.


After several awkward moments on the branch what I assume was the younger bird sought cover in the trees that hide the ponds inlet stream while the older one took up a perch near the stream about 20 feet above the water.


After the young eagle departed to search for an easier meal the third heron made its way to the far end of the pond. All three of them spent the better part of the next hour or so sitting still moving only to occasionally groom themselves or look upward to watch for predators.


At one point the young one decided to try to perch on the overhanging branch again. This was not something that went over very well with at least one of the older birds who promptly made its way across the pond and drove the young bird back into hiding.

After a little more sitting still one of the older birds decided it was safe to hunt for lunch and the younger bird was allowed to emerge from the safety of trees to practice his perching abilities.


This peace and tranquility didn’t last for long though and when a mature eagle showed up over the pond all three made a hasty retreat for a quieter place to spend their afternoon.

Unlike many I always look forward to the signs of change. Fall is my favorite season and I love the feel in the air as it approaches.

Get outside and enjoy the summer while you can! The world around us will soon be changing and with these changes come lots of new and exciting things to discover.

Have a great one!

Kevin