Subject: Re: Fidalgo Bay
Date: Jul 10 12:36:18 1995
From: Dennis Paulson - dpaulson at ups.edu


I've seen Great Blue Herons flying in flocks a number of times, but, like
Mike's birds, I thought it was always because they were disturbed off a
roost by people or eagles. I've never seen one soar; that would be neat.
Gotta start looking harder.

Like shorebirds, Great Blues roost in good-sized flocks (commonly to 30+,
as you wrote) at high tide, especially where roosting areas are restricted.
They are gregarious in the nesting season and retain that behavior for
roosting, but they are usually quite aggressive and territorial when they
spread out to feed.

People who hang out in farmlands get to see Great Blue Herons foraging in
their upland mode. Much of their food at those times is voles, and several
times I've seen a heron grab a vole and swallow it with a quick flick, just
as they do a fish. Herons and buteos concentrate in the fields in eastern
WA during vole population highs.

Speaking of those !! at #%^&*() Great Blue Herons, I finally discovered why
all the fish and bullfrogs disappeared within a week from the 17x11' pond
in my back yard in a wooded neighborhood of Seattle. An adult heron landed
in the cedar tree just above the pond yesterday morning and peered down at
it, all of a sudden making it clear why my little cold-blooded pets had all
disappeared. We inadvertently scared it away, but I hope it will come back
so I can watch its hunting technique. Might as well welcome it, now that
it has cleaned out the pond. You can see why different people may hold
very varied perspectives on wildlife, something I think we should all bear
in mind.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416