Keeping Watch
An adult Great Blue Heron guards the nest while the other adult is off hunting for food. Its good to see the pair have been so far successful in producing young but this is the only nesting pair this year in what only a couple of years ago was a thriving colony, hope for the future maybe but this colony (if you can call it that now) is in desperate trouble.
Great Blue Heron
The heron shows its sleek lines while flying over Big Lake. Lois Hole Park, St Albert.
Taking flight
A very skittish Great Blue Heron on the Big Lake shoreline. Lois Hole Park, St Albert.
Blue flight
Great Blue Heron on the Big Lake shoreline. Lois Hole Park, St Albert.
Setting up shop
A single pair of Great Blue Herons getting ready to nest close to where there used to be a good sized heronry that was abandoned last year. Canada Geese have taken over most of the nesting sites. Sturgeon County
Hopefull sign?
Last year the heronry was abandoned save one bird that I was able to observe, today this Great Blue Heron was joined by two others, they flew off but maybe a sign of better things to come. Sturgeon County.
Sandhill Cranes
Sandhill cranes fly overhead on their fall migration, Sturgeon County.
Fishing in Nadeau pond near Big Lake
On the shoreline of Nadeau pond near Big Lake
Taking flight over Nadeau pond near Big Lake
Number One
Being the first, and as it turned out the only, GBH of the 2018 season
Evening flight
A recently fledged GBH flies off up river in the deepening gloom of just prior to sunset
Something of interest
A juvenile GBH takes a closer look from its perch on a log in the Sturgeon River
Fishing from a log
A juvenile GBH looking for something to eat while walking a log in he Sturgeon River
A closer look
A juvenile GBH takes a closer look at a possible food item in the Sturgeon River near St Albert, Alberta
Out and about
A recently fledged GBH trying out some hunting from a log in the Sturgeon River
Fledglings
A fledgling GBH demonstrates its prowess at landing to its siblings
Steady!
A fledgling Great Blue Heron precariously lands on a branch near its home nest with its siblings looking on
Look at me !
A newly fledged Great Blue Heron giving flight demonstrations to its siblings
Fly by
After flying around me in a great circle, which included a pass in front of the sun, this GBH came in to take a good look
Partial Eclispse
This GBH flew in front of the sun as I was tracking it in high speed mode, nearly fried my eyeball - that hurt, don't try it at home!
Balancing act
The colony is down to one guardian whose job has been made just a little more difficult as it tries not to get blown off its perch by the high wind we have experienced over the last few days.
That's it for now!
Having just regurgitated into the nest to provide for the young ones a Great Blue Heron flies off to find the next meal, the whole operation supervised by it's mate who is on guard duty today
Protective measures
The Great Blue Heron took protective measures as I moved away from some coyotes howling in the bush at my rear and I seemed to have got a little too close for it's comfort, it settled very soon after and I departed on good terms (I think)
