A pair of juvenile Green Herons were present at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin this morning. They worked the shoreline there hunting for food, stretching and resting too. Some of the items they caught were small fish and the Common Blue Damselfly. Also present at the beach area there were 4 Juvenile Caspian Terns. Images were taken on August 6, 2014.
Juvenile Green Heron with a Common Blue Damselfly.
Green Heron
Binomial name: Buborides virescens
Category: Bitterns, Herons, and Allies
Size: 18” long, 26” wing span
Weight: 7 Oz.
Habitat: Breed in areas of woods or areas with thick vegetation near ponds, marshes, rivers, streams, reservoirs and estuaries. They stay at coastal areas and mangrove swamps in the winter months.
Diet: Green Herons consume fish as their main diet, but also eat amphibians, insects, crustaceans, snails, reptiles and rodents. They catch their food standing still at pond, lake, swamp, creek, marsh, or river edges then darting out with their head snapping up its prey. They also spear their prey with their sharp bill. They usually hunt in waters of less than 4” deep. Deeper waters are usually visited by larger heron species with longer legs.
Nesting: Start of the construction of the nest is done by the male. After a pair is formed the female helps in the nest building. The nest is usually 8-12” across with a bowl of about 2” deep with no lining. The nest is usually located over water at ground level to 30’ or more above the water, but can also be located up to distances of a half mile away from water. They also are known to fix up old nests and during the breeding season they continue to add sticks to their nests as necessary.
Cool fact: Green Herons are known to use bait like insects to bait their prey.
Juvenile Green Heron with a Common Blue Damselfly.
Juvenile Green Heron with a Common Blue Damselfly.
Juvenile Green Heron with a Common Blue Damselfly.
Juvenile Green Heron hunting.
Juvenile Green Heron with a fish.
Juvenile Green Heron with a fish.
Juvenile Green Heron with gull overhead!
Juvenile Green Heron has it’s eye on something.
Juvenile Green Heron with the catch!
Juvenile Green Heron, the reflection.
Juvenile Green Heron hunting.
Juvenile Green Heron with a Common Blue Damselfly in sight.
Juvenile Green Heron with a Common Blue Damselfly, got it!
Juvenile Green Heron just taking a break.
Juvenile Green Heron just taking a break.
Juvenile Green Heron just taking a break.
Juvenile Green Heron, getting back to hunting.
Juvenile Green Heron stretching.
Juvenile Green Heron
Juvenile Green Heron
Juvenile Green Heron
Juvenile Green Heron
Juvenile Caspian Tern
Juvenile Caspian Tern coming in for a landing.
What a great series Jim.
Productive shoot – awesome images, Jim! TFS – My fave is the “stretch”! Picture perfect.
These photo series you do are just outstanding. Somehow they make the birds come alive even more than a video. I think it’s the poses which the viewer can linger over. Great stuff.