Herons are a gluttonous sort. Although, I have observed them for years now, I never noticed just how much and what they will eat. Since making friends with Moe, the (as my granddaughter call him) Bayou Ostrich, my opinion of the birds has changed from thinking they were picky eaters to thinking they are hogs at heart (or stomach). Like any other heron, Moe fishes for himself until he sees me go to the pier. When the net is picked up, he immediately flies to the pier and follows just a few steps behind me. He seems grateful for whatever fish are caught and quickly gobbles them. Mostly, these are the small menhaden but occasionally, a mullet, croaker or goby is tossed his way.
This afternoon, Moe was waiting for me. He acted ravenous but nary a fish could be found. After nigh on twenty throws of the net, two rather large mullet were flopping on the pier. This always sends Moe into a frenzy of excitement and he will run with wings flapping. As soon as he stabbed the first mullet, a thought raced through my head. "What if Moe chokes on that big, old mullet?" Not being one to want to grab a heron and do the Heimlich Maneuver (I am not even sure if it could be performed on a bird!), I hoped that he would be ok. My worries were soon calmed. Moe made short work of the mullet....but THAT was the smaller of the two. Would he be able to swallow the other fish? That neck looked awfully skinny compared to the girth of the fish. Since he had just downed one, where was he going to put this one??? The questions were soon answered as Moe scooped up the mullet, tossed it around a bit until it was head first in his beak and then let it slip down his throat. Geez! Moe, you are a gluttonous bird for sure!
There have been accounts relating how herons have literally "bitten off more than they can chew". (Yes, I know that is not right...biting and chewing are not something herons do.) Eels, snakes and large fish can get stuck in the throat of the heron. If the bird is not successful at spitting the prey out, it will die. Fish are especially hard for a heron to regurgitate, A heron always swallows fish head first so the fins stay flat against the body but trying to get it back up works just the opposite. The prongs of the fins stab into the neck and prevent passage back up the throat.
Moe had better watch his step and not grab the larger fish that I catch. Food is needed to sustain life but gluttony may very well end that life. Be careful there, Moe....be careful. You need to leave the larger fish for me and stick with the little ones.
Supporting artists and crafters is a big thing with me. These folks work hard to perfect their talents and produce wonderful works of art whether it be a painting, a hand-knitted sweater, a piece of pottery or whatever. They pour their hearts into the creations and are often poorly compensated by those who wish to buy the pieces. Too many times, folks do not realize the time and effort that goes into artwork. I know first hand. It is a struggle.
That said, one of the most talented people I know came to the Little Bayou House today and, of all things, she brought a gift made by another quite talented lady. My sweet niece, Eva, dropped in for a few moments and handed me one of the most unique gifts that I have ever received. Not only is it remarkably creative, it is home...literally. An artist name Erin Penn-Betar painted a tiny matchbox to look like the Little Bayou House. Having never actually seen the house, she is pretty much spot on with the image. When you slide open the box, you find that she painted an adorable picture of Mr. PJ and the "Bayou Ostrich" (aka heron)! How in the world she managed to get such an ideal likeness of both animals in such a tiny box is beyond me! Seeing the tiny world that she created made me a huge fan of this lady!
The tiny matchbox Little Bayou House now sits in the china cabinet awaiting to be admired by all those who enter. I am truly impressed!
For the past few weeks, I have been feeding a friendly Great Blue Heron (also known as a Bayou Ostrich thanks to my little granddaughter, Mary Ruth.)! The bird is becoming quite tame and comes running up the pier whenever it sees me pick up the net. Once I have a good catch, the young heron eats to its heart's content. With its belly full, the little fellow flies to a post to watch my every move. Then, before I leave the pier, I have to feed it another meal. This is fine as long as there are plenty of little mullet or menhaden in the Bay. A couple of casts of the net and the meal is served. But...things changed today.
As usual when I went to the pier, the bird flew in behind me. When I picked up the net, he came running and followed me as I cast. The catch was dumped on the pier boards so the bird could feast but before he could finish his meal, others came. That rascal had evidently told all of his buddies that a free meal could be had if they came to the diner on the pier! A motley bunch of beggars came to lunch. Besides the heron (ostrich?), a Snowy Egret, a Common Tern and a Laughing Gull enjoyed a fine meal of menhaden. The heron was given some extra treats of little mullet since he has been coming the longest.
With this crazy crew, I had to throw the net several more times to catch enough minnows. At one point, the gull decided that he did not want to share the meal. He flew to the mound of menhaden and gulped down about twenty of the little fish before the other three birds could reach the spot. It did not take long before the Snowy took command and chased the greedy gull away! The other three shared a peaceful meal while the gull glared from the pier post. So....I wonder who will come to breakfast at the pier diner tomorrow?? If this group keeps growing, I may need a bigger net!
Kids can say the funniest things. For the past few years, Mark and I have been quoting our little granddaughter's sayings. Two quotes have stuck more than the rest. One, "Yummm! Apples!" is our catch phrase whenever something is yummy! Mary Ruth said this when we sent a box of citrus fruit to Georgia for the family to enjoy. When her mommy, Joanna, asked her what was in the box, Mary Ruth said "Yummm! Apples! We have said it and giggled over it ever since. The other most quoted Mary Ruth phrase is "First! We have to put on our boots!" This was something she said when she saw her first snow. Before going out to play, she knew the boots would keep her feet warm. Smart little girl! Mark and I say this whenever we are prioritizing things. "First! We have to put on our boots!" The phrase seems to help get things straight.
Since their move to a faraway island, I have been sending the grandlittles daily photographs of their dog, PJ. Mr. PJ came to live with us until their return. I did not want the kids to forget the beloved friend so each day, a new photo is sent. Today, Mr. PJ was not overly sure of an approaching heron. He had turned to look at me with a bewildered expression on his face. With the heron in the background, it was the perfect picture to send. When Mary Ruth saw the photograph, she said "An ostrich!" That sweet little girl has just re-identified my heron for me. Now, we have a Bayou Ostrich! I will probably never look at a Great Blue Heron again without thinking "An ostrich!" I always thought we had some pretty unique birds roaming about the Bayou and now I am sure of it.
Speaking of the Bayou Ostrich, he seems to be warming up to Mr. PJ. For several days, he was not sure that the old dog would not chase him. Now, the bird comes to grab minnows within a few feet of the dog. We are making progress. You just have to love the critters of the Bayou...even if they have unusual names! Mary Ruth brings so much joy by naming them!
