Friday, October 4, 2013

A Squawk of Welcome ... or Not


Before swimming earlier this week, I took a walk along 
the Central Canal promenade. While crossing the Washington Street Bridge
over the White River, I heard a loud, strangled squawk.
Below me, on a stack of driftwood, I saw a blue heron. They are timid
birds that flee just beyond the reach of my cameras, so I've
never had one stay close enough to get a good shot.
This time, however, I was able to take three pictures before
he became too nervous and flew away.

I don't know what it was that he was squawking at, unless it was
what appeared to be a solitary migrant cormorant, paddling
in the middle of the river. Whether the heron was calling out 
warnings or friendly directions cannot be known by me, but it was 
the only creature around for him to have been shouting at.


3 comments:

dive said...

Herons are nervous creatures alright. I was once surveying some land and ducked under a small bridge to take some measurements. I disturbed a sleeping heron and the poor thing flapped past me in a panic and left a hundred foot trail of crap in the water as it took off.

Speedway said...

At least it didn't leave 94 feet of crap in the water and 6 feet on you!

dive said...

It was a close thing, Speedway.