My wife and I chased the Common Crane yesterday (2/28) and were successful
at Estes Road. We had tried Sunset - and Worline Roads, where it had been
earlier, but it had moved. We enjoyed meeting a great friendly and helpful
group of like-minded birders! Thank you for the scope looks! It was nice
meeting y'all!
Afterwards we stopped at Bayview State Park. It was the lowest tide I have
ever seen on Padilla Bay! There was some standing water in large puddles
and right out from the park held about 25 Great Blue Herons. Most of them
decided to fly off as we arrived. I scanned the bay to the North and found
a large group of birds in a larger body of standing water.They did not look
like geese and when a Bald Eagle dived on them, they turned out to be
Great Blue Herons! My conservative estimate was over 300 and maybe more
than 400 herons! This is the largest number I have ever seen in one spot!
Some of them started drifting off towards Anacortes.
They were likely feeding on a pod of spawning herring or similar bait fish,
stranded by the receding waters. Now how was this bonanza communicated to
such a large gathering of herons? They do not text! Also where did they all
come from? Is there a large heronry somewhere in the Anacortes area?
Has anyone else observed this large group of Great Blue Herons?

Good Birding!

Hans


--
*Hans Feddern*
Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA
thefedderns at gmail.com
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