Been Duped!

  That little stinker of a heron had me fooled.  As soon as I step foot on the pier, a young (first year) heron flies in to beg for handouts.  Like a soft-hearted dummy, I throw the net until I catch several mullet for the bird.  He has gotten rather tame and comes within a foot of me to fetch his meal.  I felt good about helping this little rascal and about making a new friend but, now, I find that I have been duped!

  Lately, the "bird's" appetite has grown by leaps and bounds.  Whereas three mullet used to fill his belly, I am now catching up to twenty per meal!  I was beginning to wonder if his stomach was an endless pit!  Then, today, I caught on to the joke.  I am not feeding one young heron, I feed three!  The birds take turns.  I had no idea until I caught them in the act!!  One would fly to the pier, eat three or four (sometimes five) mullet and while my back was turned, another would take its place.  They were literally playing musical chairs or something!  As long as I kept tossing fish their way, the three took turns at eating.  Those little stinkers fully had me fooled!

  I told Mark about the three birds and their silliness, so he named them.  Meet Larry, Curly and Moe...named after the "Three Stooges" of vaudeville fame. Moe is the tamest and can almost be hand fed!   I suppose I will continue throwing the net thirty or forty times in the morning and then again in the evening to feed my fine feathered friends just because they bring a smile.  I just wish they would all come at the same time!  Oh, well.  It is great exercise!