The Fishing Bird

  This afternoon, I had to escape the Little Bayou House so the old dog and I headed to the pier.  Neither of us had much energy as the heat zapped us.  I found a shady place for him to rest beneath the fish-cleaning sink while I tried to fish.  He seemed to enjoy his own little "canopy" as he watched a green heron trying to catch minnows.  At first, I did not notice what the bird was doing but on closer inspection, I realized that the green heron was fishing...literally fishing.  Green herons are some of the smartest birds on the Bayou.  They have figured out how to use tools to catch their supper.  

  This bird was ripping small pieces of marsh grass to toss in the water.  Minnows, thinking it was something good to eat, gathered in a cluster.  The heron dropped down to a "stringer" on the pier and eyed the minnows until they were in range.  It then plunged into the water, grabbed a fish and flew back up to the pier.  I was surprised to see this plunging technique.  I knew they used bait or, in this case, artificial lures but never have I witnessed the plunging.  The usual technique has the bird stalking the fish in shallow water not diving off the pier into four feet of water!

  Since I was catching nothing but catfish, I quit fishing and sat by the old dog.  Together, we watched to green heron catch a dozen or so minnows before it was time to head back up the hillside.  Mr. PJ lumbered up the pier and caused to bird to take flight.  Hopefully, it already had its belly full!