Mister Blue, the Great Blue Heron

The great blue heron is a huge bird with a seven foot wing spread and masterful flight-a lean, wiry bird with a fish spear for a beak and fishing-poles for legs. The heron is an excellent fisherman. It wades in the shallows of lakes, rivers, marshes, and flooded fields in search of frogs, fish, and crayfish, and small rodents. The heron stands for long, patient hours, motionless, waiting. To the fish and frogs, the two lean legs are only sticks in the water; the creatures swim about unconcerned until suddenly the fish spear stabs down and catches one. When a fish is caught, it is deftly twisted around until the head points down the heron's long throat-in this way, the fins will not rasp the throat-and with a quick gulp is gone. Herons fly with its neck drawn in and legs trailing (Eifert,10).

In the city, koi ponds are currently popular. You can see why the heron might arrive as an uninvited guest. If there is no cover for the koi pond, the heron spots the fish from above and sails in for a little "sushi." It doesn't understand that its meal might be costing the owner as much as $35 dollars a fish. When asked how long the heron will stay, I have to ask, "How many fish are left?" Unfortunately the heron's fishing skill is not much appreciated by the owner. Our recommendation is to keep koi ponds covered.

Mister Blue was shot and his left wing had to be amputated. For a couple of years he was so uncomfortable around people that we had to house him in the deer enclosure but with the arrival of Betty White, the egret, that he calmed down enough to join her in the arena along with the ducks and geese. He has his adult plumage and is regal sight strutting "his stuff" around the arena.

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