Great Blue Heron

[jimw]

The other day I was standing on my front lawn on Fairfield Island and looked up to see a flock of 15 Great Blue Herons flying as a flock. I don't think I have ever seen so many flying like that. Do they do this at this time of year? Usually they are solitary aren't they?
On another note. I was out beside a small creek yesterday and heard a small frog croaking. Is spring around the corner?

[Gord]

Jim

You're right, they are quite solitary. Ive only seen a bunch of herons flying together near heron colonies as they come and go from their nests to prime feeding areas, and I wouldnt call them a flock as they are far apart and 20 birds takes about a couple minutes to pass over head from first to last bird. This is an interesting sighting for certain. Were they close together like a flock of geese or ducks or more spread out? Ive never seen them fly close together aside from two or three that you could say were sort of flying together about 30+ feet apart.

Your frog was likely a Pacific tree-frog. They'll often call all year long if it isnt too cold. He was probably confused by all this rain!

[jimw]

It was quite interesting as they flew very close together and then all banked and flew off in another direction. I had to look closely to make sure they were herons as it looked very strange. I need to be quicker with a camera and less of a lookee loo.

[kastern]

Over here in the Chehalis Estuary area I often see numbers of Great Blue Heron standing around very close to each other. Yesterday there were 4 within probably 50 feet of each other and I've seen as many as 11 all standing not more than 8 or 10 feet apart from each other. I've seen 3 or 4 flying together but never as many as the current sighting.

[greendale]

While out fishing on The Vedder River near Hopedale Road this week I saw at flock of about 10 flying overhead. It was right at dusk so I imagine they were going to roost for the night.

Also around Grenndale have numerous times seen large numbers all in one field. I must try for a picture next time.

[kastern]

This afternoon, about 3 o'clock there were 20 heron standing in the small triangle field just to the east of the bridge over the Harrison River in Harrison Mills.