Lunchtime at the Fish Pond

I usually get to the fish pond between 8 and 9 a.m. and sit until about eleven. One of my visits to the fish pond this week was much longer than normal though.


The pond was very quiet until about 10:30 when a lone seagull arrived. He quickly spotted a dead or dying fish near the inlet stream and headed right for it. He attempted to swallow it whole but because of its size he had to drag it up onto the bank so he could try to devour it in pieces.


Unfortunately his meal was interrupted when a Great Blue Heron showed up.


The heron saw the gull and its meal almost immediately and made it clear to the much smaller bird that he would be taking charge of the mornings dining duties.


After driving off the gull the heron made a few hops to different perches around the pond before returning to down his stolen lunch.

While cleaning up after his meal he suddenly but slowly crouched down behind the leafy branches where he was perched.

He had seen the soaring approach of an adult Bald Eagle and was doing his best to make himself as small as possible.

The eagle perched in one of the hardwood trees directly across from my photo blind. He either didn't notice or was ignoring both myself and the heron for the most part.

For the better part of the next four hours the heron and I sat as still as possible. Me keeping one eye on him and the other on the eagle while he stayed fixated on the predator who was casually grooming itself just fifty yards away from him.

Whether the eagle wasn't hungry or just didn't feel like tangling with the large heron he finally departed. A few minutes later the heron stepped out of his hiding spot and stretched his legs. He started to fish but when the eagle showed itself above the pond again he made a hasty exit from the area.

It was a very interesting and educational visit. It was amazing to see how relaxed the eagle was during the whole encounter. He was diffinatly in charge of the situation and on his own schedule. The heron's actions showed that he clearly understood he could be the bully one minute and then have to do his best to keep himself from becoming lunch the next.

Its all part of the wonderful world around us. You just have to take charge of your own schedule and get out there to enjoy it.

Have a great one!

Kevin