Another Critter Friend

  I guess we truly are creatures of habit.  Mark and I almost never miss a morning hike to the pier.  More oft than not, this walk will take place with camera and a mug of coffee in hand.  There is nothing better than starting the day with a piping hot cup of coffee and a sunrise.  Things just always seem to go smoother after starting the day as such.  The camera is always with me just in case some fantastic critter wanders into view.  One (or more) usually does!

  On our way down the pier, we both noticed a rather large bird perched at the end.  While it was not as large as a Great Blue Heron, it was much bigger than the Yellow Crowned Night Heron.  This had to be one of two things...a Little Blue Heron or a Tri-colored Heron.  I was betting on the Tri-colored.  The stature of the bird led me to this conclusion.  I made mention to Mark that if the bird had a white belly, then the identification could be deemed accurate.  

  As we strolled to the end of the pier, the bird took no notice of us.  For the longest time, it sat without moving.  Then, when we were just a few feet from it, the bird flew to one of the pier posts. Yep!  I was right!  A white belly could clearly be seen when the bird was in flight!  That identifying trait could not be wrong.  Tri-colored Herons are the only dark heron in the Deep South with white underparts.  With its blue-gray upper parts and white underbelly, the bird can easily be identified.  This bird also has reddish plumes on its lower back and throat area during the breeding season.  

  It is good to see the vast variety of waterfowl around the Bayou.  As long as the birds stay, it is a sign that the Bayou and Bay are healthy areas with plenty of foodstuffs and nesting sites.  With the encroachment of housing plots threatening the very existence of the Bayou, it scares me to think that some day, the area will not be as I know it now.  I sure hope this never happens.  I shall miss my critter friends.