Funnel Clouds and Critter Friends

   Making jam and jelly took up all of my morning which was not a bad thing since rain poured outside.  No hikes were even attempted until close to noon.  It was then that Son and I went to check the small skiff moored at the end of the pier.  We were about halfway down the pier when I noticed some strange looking clouds with the next approaching storm system.  "Son!  Check the waterspouts!"  In awe, he and I sat staring at the horizon for the next few moments.    Well, he stayed for a few moments.  My stay was more like a half hour.  Seven different times, the clouds showed a "dip" as a funnel cloud tried to form but each time, it was a half-baked attempt.  Thankfully, nary a one made it full form.

  As I was kneeling on the pier planks, I heard a strange whirring sound and looked to find that a green heron had landed on the post near my elbow.  Alrighty, then.  Not wanting to scare the bird, I did not even look directly at it for a few minutes.  I slowly angled the camera in the direction of the heron and snapped a photo hoping that the bird was somewhat in focus.  Then, I went back to photographing the wannabe funnel clouds.  The bird sat.  It never moved.  

  After the storm clouds went inland to our east, I slowly stood.  The bird looked at me oddly but still did not fly.  I took a step back, photographed the bird then slowly turned and walked up the pier.  Glancing back, my new-found friend was still there...staring at me.  What an encounter!

Good Morning, Friend!

  Herons are funny things.  When the name is mentioned, our brain usually conjures up images of large, stately birds such as the Great Blue Heron or graceful, leggy birds such as the Snowy Egret.  Both are herons.  Both are beautiful.  But, there are other herons that do not even remotely resemble either of these birds.  They are short-legged, stocky and rather stubby looking birds.  The Night Heron and the Green Heron both fall in this category.

  Early this morning as I was walking down the pier, a Green Heron decided to pay a visit.  The bird softly lit upon the end post of the pier.  In the subdued morning light, all I could see was the russet colored breast with its splash of white feathers.  The iridescent green back appeared black but I instantly recognized this friend and welcomed it to stay a while.

  In all truthfulness, I admit that these small birds are some of my favorites of the heron family.  They have no problem working for their breakfast unlike those big lugs that beg for handouts.  The Green Heron has learned to use tools to fish.  It will use a piece of marsh grass, a morsel of crab or even a bit of a feather to lure fish closer to it as it sits motionless in wait.  The bird also can effectively dive after its target if need be. 

  The Green Heron only stayed a few moments once it spied Mr. PJ, the old dog lumbering down the pier,  We said our goodbyes and he flew off to sit on a small log near the marsh.  There, the bird busied himself by catching little mullet for breakfast.  Smart bird!

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!

He has a lot to learn!

  It is not my custom to harm critters.  I do my best to avoid even upsetting them.  I figure like this.  I do not like be harassed so why would any critter think this was desirable behavior.  This does not mean that I keep far away from my critter friends.  On the contrary!  I get as close as I can to them.  I want them to know that it is not my nature to harm them.  Occasionally, however, a critter is just a tad wary of my presence and has to put on a "show of defiance".

  I was on the pier earlier and noticed that I had a visitor.  A juvenile Green Heron flew in to see if there were any offerings of a breakfast. This youngster had not made my acquaintance as of yet and was a bit leery of me.  It kept to a distance from me as I wandered back up the pier.  The bird would scurry up the pier ahead of me then stop to stare.  A couple of times, it took flight only to make a large circle and land in the exact same spot.  I slowly eased my way closer and closer.  The bird took a defiant stance as if to declare the pier as its own.  Its neck stretched high and its small crest stood erect.  When I noticed this, I sat down on the pier boards.  No use in scaring the tyke!

  The young bird soon became a bit more at ease and began relax a bit even though, it never fully trusted me.  The adult birds will come snatch minnows from my hands but this juvenile had no idea that I was trustworthy.  Perhaps soon, it, too, will grant me the pleasure of becoming friends.  Little Bird, have no fear.  I will not harm you. 

Slowly I turn...step by step...

  There used to be an old vaudeville act where one of the actors recounts an incident of revenge he took on an enemy.  A trigger phrase or word sets the narrator into a state of frenzy where instead of just telling the story, he acts on his foul deed. In mid attack, the storyteller comes to his senses only to fall back into the trance when hearing the word again. His poor listener is quite beat up by the time the skit ends.  While my tale today, has nothing to do with vaudeville, revenge or even trigger words, it is what came to mind as I watched a bird hunting its breakfast.

  Slowly, I turn...step by step...and I snatch another bull minnow from the shallows!  A little Green Heron was working the pools left on the mudflats.  The recent bout of north wind had pushed the tide far out from the shore and trapped hundreds of minnows.  This is a boon for the shorebirds as the trapped minnows are easy prey.  The Green Heron eased its way around the edge of the puddle of water.  These are "fishing" birds in the true sense as they actually use bait.  With each slow step, the heron would pick up its particle of fiddler crab, toss it a wee bit then take a very slooow step.  It foot would slowly rise out of the water, stay in mid air for a bit then ever so slowly sink back into the water.  Slowly I step...

  The bird show went on for quite some time as the little guy filled his belly with the fat minnows.  It was quite comical to watch the bird and once I made the connection with the old vaudeville sketch, I was even more amused. The Bayou is a great place to be entertained!

The Secret of the High Nest

  High up in a pine tree in a tangle of smilax vines, there sits a tightly woven bird nest.  The nest is one that has been used for the past several years.  What started as a blue jay abode has now changed hands and has been reconstructed to suit the new residents.  While I could tell that the nest was being redone and is now occupied, I had no idea what type bird claimed the living space.  Then, for the past week, strange sounds have been emanating from said nest.  When Son and I first heard the sound, he made the remark that it sounded a lot like a hoarse squirrel albeit an hoarse, angry squirrel.  This made me giggle but I disagreed with him. Nope, it was definitely a bird.  What kind of bird eluded me but, still, a bird...perhaps an angry, hoarse bird?

  Every day as I worked the gardens, I heard the sounds.  It frustrated me that the identity remained a secret but I was not about to climb a thirty foot tall pine tree just to lay claim to the fact that I knew what bird was nesting there.  I did notice, however, that the sounds were part of a protective stance.  Each time another bird flew over the nest or a squirrel scampered up the tree, the raspy sounds were loud!

  Then today, I made quite the discovery and have about decided that the secret of the high nest has been solved...tentatively.  As I was easing my way around the marsh line, a Green Heron flew to the remains of an old pier.  This is nothing more than a couple of broken posts and a few boards but is a prime spot for the herons to hunt in peace.  They can sit on this perch and not feel threatened by land mammals.  This time, however, the Green Heron was more interested in my doings.  The bird eyed me cautiously as I neared the pine tree with the mystery nest.  It then let out a few strange squawks!  The unusual noises from the nest immediately answered!  Oh, my!  Do I have a pair of Green Herons nesting in the front yard?  

  I did a bit of research and, sure enough, Green Herons will reuse other birds' nests and do, indeed, use a threatening series of "kuks" to frighten other critters from the area.  I listened to recordings of the heron's calls and I do believe they are a match.  Tomorrow, when I hear the sounds coming from the nest, a comparison shall be made.  Hopefully, the secret of the high nest will be solved, once and for all!  Green Herons!  Imagine!

Three At Once!

  This morning's hike around the hillside proved to be quite interesting indeed!  While the initial hike turned up nothing of interest other than a few birds, a couple of noisy squirrels and a feral cat, the return trek caused me a bit of excitement.  On a whim, I returned to the pier where the hikes always begin.  On the first visit, all was quiet.  Nary a critter could be seen.  Not even the pelicans were hanging around the pier as they usually do.  It was almost too quiet!  The return visit was a bit more happy.  Three birds were feeding on the mudflats.  While three birds may not seem to be earth-shaking news, it was the fact that they were three different types of birds that thrilled me.  Two rails and a small heron were stalking minnows that were stranded by the low tide.  Still. two rails and a heron would not thrill most folks but it did me.

  The heron was a little Green Heron.  This bird is one of the smartest birds on the Bayou.  The bird actually fishes for its breakfast.  The Green Heron will catch a minnow, fiddler crab or even just a small piece of debris and use it as bait.  When minnows gather around the seemingly innocuous feast, the bird catches its fill.  The heron will often toss the bait up and down to attract minnows.  That is one intelligent bird!

  Of the other two, one was a Virginia Rail.  This is one of the smallest rails.  They are much like other rails as they are secretive birds that prefer life in the marshes.  Virginia Rails have special feathers that resist wear and tear from the marsh grass.  The males build several "dummy" nests before the hen settles on one for nesting.  These nests sit on built up platforms of marsh grass that protect them from flooding in high tide. The nests are camouflaged to keep them from being raided from above. The chicks are covered with soft black down until their true feathers come in.  As is the habit of most rails, the chicks are fed by both parents until age of one week.  Then the brood is divided in half.  Each parent will then take full care of their half of the brood.

  The other rail, was a Clapper Rail.  The Clapper Rail is a large rail that can more often be heard than seen.  The clattering calls echo through the Bayou as the rails call to their mates or little ones.  Clapper Rails nest in the marsh and the eggs are often covered by high tides.  Even so, the eggs are still capable of hatching.  Sometimes after the eggs hatch, the parent birds will build a temporary floating nest to hold their brood. The Clapper Rail is a secretive bird that would rather hide in the marshes than be out in the open mudflats.  

  While the finding of three birds may fail to be exciting to most folks, I was exhilarated with the find. My hike ended with a twenty minute watching of these birds.  All three benefited from the Green Heron's fishing skills and each filled their bellies with minnows.  The hike can be considered a success!

 

Stocking up of Foul Weather

  With the threat of bad weather on our horizon, things have been a bit busy here on the Bayou.  Making sure the little skiff is secure, gathering in all of the fishing gear that normally stays on the pier and taking care of critters all needed tending.  Now we just sit back and wait.  That is harder than doing the chores.  I am not one that likes waiting...for anything.  Waiting on weather to do its thing is sort of like watching paint dry.  It is pointless.

  While Son worked on the boat, I had the opportunity to do a bit of visiting with my friend the Green Heron.  The little bird seems to have taken a liking to me...or at least to my handouts of food.  The bird munched heartily on a few little mullet that I was able to catch for it.  Perhaps the bird knows that foul weather will soon be pounding the Bayou and was stocking up on provisions by eating extra heavy.

  I am sure that most of the birds can still find enough food to survive during bad weather but I figured if I can give a helping hand, I might as well.  The bird seemed to appreciate it and even followed me most of the way back up the pier.  

  I hope you fare well during this storm, Little Greenie.  Take cover like the rest of us.  Good luck!

 

Bayou Life All Wrapped in One Photograph

  First, let me say thank you for those who cared to check on me after my mention of being ill.  Your concern warmed my heart and I adore each of you for the prayers, advice and concern.  You are wonderful!  

  Second, since I am still sort of under the weather....much better but still just not "feeling it", I decided that one more lazy day could not hurt. Tomorrow. I may venture out to the greenhouse for a bit to see if I can start my tomato seedlings for the garden this spring....maybe.  But, in the meantime, I had to be satisfied lounging about the house...or at least I had to endure it.  With nothing else to occupy a lazy mind, I scrolled through some of my old photographs.  When I hit one folder full of pictures from five years ago, I thought "Wow...I like that photo!"  It is not that it was a perfectly timed photo nor even a particularly well thought out display, it just sort of "spoke" to me.  It was perfect.  The photo single-handedly described life on the Bayou.  The daily struggle to find sustenance while keeping an eye open for predators.  I stared at the photograph and tried to recall that early morning so many years ago.  

  In the photograph, a small Green Heron tries to lure small fish or crabs within range of is sharp beak.  This heron is one of the only birds on the Bayou that has developed the skill of "fishing" for its breakfast.  Not many critters have learned the art of using tools like this bird.  It will use a small piece of leaf, twig or portion of fish as bait.  The bait is dropped in the water and the bird stands motionless as it waits.  Sometimes the wait is long and the bird will reach out to wiggle the bait.  The Green Heron hardly ever "wade fishes".  It is much more adept at catching its prey from a firm foundation and simply has remarkable patience.

  The almost silhouette effect caused by the pre-dawn hour is what caught my eye.  This is my favorite time to be out tromping about the marshes and I have not done it much since the loss of my old dog.  I miss her.  I really need to get back out there, though, so soon..perhaps..soon.  First on the agenda is to fully kick this illness's butt, though!

Early Morning Friend!

  Nature never ceases to amaze me.  I am the type person who can see a bird every day and, yet, be just as awed by its beauty the thousandth time as the first.  It is this way with all of nature from the tiniest moss spore to the vastness of the starry night sky but birds hold a special place with me for some reason.  It is not just their outward beauty that attracts me.  They also pique an interest with their intelligence.  I have never met a stupid (or insolent) bird.  Hmmm...to bad I cannot say the same for humans.

  Near the pier, there can usually be found any number of waterfowl or shorebirds.  One of the most interesting birds (and perhaps smartest!) is the Green Heron.  The bird's fishing techniques rivals even the best of human anglers.  And...indeed...they DO fish.  The Green Heron has perfected a fishing technique of using bait to catch larger fish.  It works every time and, more oft than not, the bird can catch a bellyful of fish and still have the bait to eat as dessert!  It is just that smart. The Green Heron is one of the few critters that have mastered the art of tool usage! But with all of that brilliance comes beauty.  The Green Heron usually just looks dark or almost black.  Then, in the perfect light, the back shows a gorgeous iridescent green   The feathers actually shimmer in the sunlight!

   This "winter" (and I use that term loosely here since it is still in the eighties.), a lone Green Heron stands guard at the pier.  In the early morn, the bird can be seen roosting on a dead trunk of a small tree but by sunup, it moves to the small tide pool.  There, the bird will feed on bull minnows and tiny crabs.  I love watching the bird and, here lately, it has no qualms about me being within a few feet of it while it feeds.  It still has not gotten as brave as some of the other herons about letting me hand feed it but perhaps that will come in time.  In the meantime, I shall be happy photographing my friend and being awed by another part of nature here on the Bayou.

Eyes bigger than the stomach!

I had gone down to the pier right at daybreak and as usual, the Green Heron came in to beg for breakfast.  I scanned the water's surface looking for any sign that minnows were in the area.  Nothing was breaking on the slick calm surface.  There was no use in me throwing the net if nothing was there so I sat down on the planks of the pier.  Our benches had disappeared with the flood waters of Hurricane Isaac so the pier planking would have to suffice.  I kept watch on the water hoping that I would see the familiar "pip" of a menhaden.  The Green Heron kept watch on me.  It edged closer and closer to me.  Soon it was just a couple of feet to my left and had the most perplexed look on its face.  "Where is my breakfast...and why are you sitting down on the job?" it seemed to say.

Mark soon came ambling down the hillside with two mugs of coffee!  Ahhh, the man knows the way to my heart!  As he neared us, the bird never moved.  He would just look from one of us to the other.  He was so confused as to why we were not fishing for his breakfast!  Finally, Mark picked up the net which caused sheer excitement with the bird!  FOOD!  The first several throws were futile efforts.  Then...a mullet!  A much too large mullet for this tiny bird but by now the heron was in a frenzy.  He ran toward the mullet with full intentions of grabbing it.  When the bird neared the fish, I do believe for a moment, it had second thoughts.  This fish was almost as big as the bird! I watched in amusement as the bird sized up the fish.  He went from side to side cocking his head as if to measure the fish.  Something was wrong with this...there was no way possible that large of a mullet was going down this bird's gullet!

Mark, in the meantime, had managed to catch an odd assortment of tiny fishes.  He had several little white trout, a couple of tiny croakers and a pinfish.  These were all suitable sized for the bird.  As soon as Mark would pull a fish from the net, the bird had it!  Gulp!  Down the hatch went the white trout and croakers!  The pinfish with its large spiky fins was tossed back into the water.  After finishing off all the small fish, the bird once again turned its attention to the mullet.  By this time the mullet was flip-flopping around the pier like crazy!  The Green Heron stared at the fish, darted at it once and then flew to the top of the post.  That fish was just too large!  I reached down and tossed the mullet back into the water.  All were happy.  The Green Heron had its belly full, the pinfish and mullet were free to swim in the water and the white trout and croakers....oops...well, ALMOST all were happy.

Bad Hair Day...

If I keep writing about the wildlife on the Bayou, most of you folks are going to begin to think that all I do is stay on the pier.  Not so!  Occasionally, I wander the marsh edge!  Seriously, I do spend a lot of time on the pier and near the water.  I try to start my day watching the sunrise. I figure if I begin my day peacefully, things will not be as stressful.   Then as soon as chores are finished, I head down the board path to the pier to watch the sun set again.  I let all the busyness of the day disappear with the sun as it slides down in the western horizon.  It is just where I like to be.  So..bear with me as I prattle about the birds of the Bayou once again.  But first..just so you do not think all I do is play with the birds..I did catch our supper!  This nice six pound redfish took my bait and gave me a nice fight!  Needless to say, I won!  Supper will be fish!

Every trek to the pier brings a visit from a number of birds all expecting a handout.  They know that the food is forthcoming so as soon as they see me, they all come flying.  There are two Green Herons in the bunch.  These two squabble quite a bit over the menhaden buffet that I set for them each day.  Although there might be a hundred or so minnows flip-flopping around on the pier, the two herons will invariably start their spat and usually wind up missing most of their free meal.  The Snowy Egret and the gulls scoop up the free food right in the midst of the heron melee. Today, however, only one showed up to eat.  This bird lingered close to me and even followed Ms. Ez, the dog, around on the pier.  It was almost like it missed its buddy/nemesis.

After a bit, the Green Heron settled in on one of the pier posts and stayed put for the rest of my time on the pier.  It would not move.  This made me wonder...had something caught the other heron?  It was just about two weeks ago that the alligator snatched the young Blue Heron from my brother's pier and I wondered if the other Green Heron had met a similar fate.  This one was sure not taking any chances!  It was sitting high up on the post!

I took advantage of its perch and was able to get a number of pictures.  The wind was blowing just enough to ruffle the feathers on its crown to make it appear to have a messy hairdo!  The bird would change its pose with most every picture I took.  It was almost as if it was trying to get the "best pose" possible!  I can just imagine it saying "Wait..the wind messed my feathers!"  "How is this?"  "Does this pose make me look fat?"  So...like the good photographer, I took dozens of pictures.  Personally, I like the messy hair look on this bird!

Not so patiently waiting!

Even though there was a slight rain misting down upon the Bayou, I needed to escape the confines of the Little Bayou House.   Mark and I headed to the pier with the idea of catching a few catfish to bait the crab traps.  Once there, he threw the net and caught plenty of menhaden plus a few mullet.  Those few were enough to fire the idea of him heading out in the boat for a fishing trip.  I stayed behind on the pier.  After fishing for a while and catching enough catfish and Ladyfish for the traps, I started tossing the menhaden to the young Herring Gull.  It was enjoyable just watching that bird dive down after the minnows!  It is a well known fact around here that the gulls would all have a lot more to eat if they did not start their raucous calling.  Once that squawking starts, every gull in the area converges around the pier.  Well, Mr. Gull, that is enough of that!  Once I quit tossing the dead menhaden, the majority of the gulls decided I was boring and left.  Only the young Herring Gull stayed on his perch atop the pier post.

After a bit, I noticed a slight movement behind me.  Aha!  My good friend, Little Green Heron, wanted supper as well! Knowing better than to toss any in the water, I slid the heron a handful across the planks of the pier.  The little squirt came running!  Just before the heron could snatch one of the menhaden, the gull made a dive for the minnow!  Oh, this is not good!  The two of them squabbled over the minnows.  The screeching and squawking drew the interest of a Snowy Egret!  Now I had three different birds attacking my handouts!

I reached in the bucket.  Another handful of minnows was tossed across the planking.  This startled the birds enough that they skittered back a bit.  Now, a bit uneasy, they paced.  Back and forth, each trying to stay just ahead of the others.  Finally, the Green Heron darted after one minnow that was flipping near the edge of the pier.   When that bird grabbed a minnow, the other two immediately started chasing after it.  This chase was sort of ridiculous since as they were pecking after the minnow in the heron's beak, all of the other minnows were being stomped upon and were being knocked back into the water!  Silly birds!

This fiasco kept on for about twenty minutes.  Always the same...the minnows were tossed, birds paced, one would snatch a mouthful, others chased.  I was amused by their antics!   Soon my supply of minnows ran out and the rains fell harder.  The crab traps were baited and I headed back up the hill. I am quite sure that my three friends will be back in the morning!  Their greediness will cause squabbles again but they will be fed simply because this brightens my day!

On Watch...

The Green Heron that normally comes to the pier for handouts has gotten quite tame as of late.  The bird waits for me to start throwing the net and then flies in for its meal.  Soon, I expect to be hand feeding it like I do the Night Heron.  Yesterday evening was much like all the other meal times.  The bird flew to the end of the pier about thirty feet from me and then ran up the boards toward my offerings.  After eating a number of bait-sized mullet, it wandered back down near the marsh.  It was then that I noticed that another Green Heron had flown to the pier.  This one was still a mite skittish and would never come close enough to eat.  Hopefully, it will soon learn that the meal is free and no harm is intended. When Mark and I headed back to the house, I made sure to leave a few mullet for its supper!

Walking up the pier near the marsh, Mark pointed out our friend Heron.  It had flown up from the pier to roost on a broken off stub of a pine tree.  I am sure that it was settled in for the night and planned on waiting there until morning light and another free breakfast.  I took a few pictures of it before I noticed that it was a tad uneasy about its roosting place.  It would turn its head side to side and then peer toward the sky as if looking for some predator.  Every little noise would cause it to pivot around in alarm.

This started me thinking.  I know that Green Herons, like other herons and egrets, can see at night.  During low tides, these birds can be seen feeding along the shorelines and they have no problem snatching up shrimp by moonlight.  The heron could spy any danger even after dark.  So what had the bird so wary?  Had it been frightened by a near attack of some predator in the past?  A bobcat or fox would happily make a meal of the small Green Heron if either happened upon it as it sat at the marsh edge.  Perhaps that is why the bird chose a roosting spot a good twenty feet above ground.  Then I wondered if this was the brightest of all moves..wouldn't sitting high in the sky make the bird a prime target for an owl?  Granted it would have to be a large owl but my Green Heron is a small bird.  The one we feed is a youngster and is only about half of its full-grown size.  At the moment, it is not much larger than a quail...a long legged quail but you get the idea! One of the large owls could easily take this one off for supper.  Still, I would be impressed by any animal or bird that would even attempt to dine upon the Green Heron.  This bird has an unusual method of protecting itself from potential predators.  It does do the "freeze" method to hide from danger..it does the "fly away" method and even the "squawk and scare" method.  These all work relatively well and are generally what a predator expects from a bird but this bird has a secret weapon!  It uses its excrement as a weapon of defense!  Yep..its poop!  The Green Heron will direct its poop right at a potential predator and has such a good aim that it usually hits its target where it counts..right in the eyes!  This temporary blinding effect gives the bird plenty of escape time!  Ewwww!  I am thankful that I am seen as a friend and not an enemy!

After a few more photos, I decided to let my bird roost in peace.  I will go out early in the morning to see if the Green Heron made it through the night and to offer it breakfast.  There is just something about interacting with wildlife that is both exciting and calming.  The birds of the Bayou know that I mean them no harm and their trust brings me great pleasure.  Who needs anything else????

     

Bring on the rain....

There is a country song by the title of "Bring on the Rain" sung by Jo Dee Messina and Tim McGraw.  It is sort of an inspirational song about facing whatever is thrown at you.  In it, there are the lines.."Tomorrow's another day..And I'm thirsty anyway..So bring on the rain!"  This song has been running through my mind since last night.  We have been lacking in rain for the past few weeks and the garden was really starting to feel the drought.  I guess I was not the one that was "thirsty" but my poor plants sure were!  Then last night after a lot of thunder and a bit of lightning...rain!  Beautiful rain poured from the sky!  This lasted all day and now again this evening...rain..beautiful rain!

With this glorious rain came the fact that there would be no fishing from the pier!  Last evening, I caught a nice size flounder but missed several others.  I had hoped to venture down to try my hand at getting another for supper but each time Ms. Ez and I headed out the door, BOOM!  And the rain came!  We would rush back inside to wait out the deluge!  No need in getting soaked!  Sunny, the pup, on the other hand, had no qualms about being outside in the thunderstorms but then again, she is not quite as weather-savvy as the older dog, Ms. Ez!  Ezzy has been around a while and she knows enough to seek shelter when she hears thunder!  Several times, Sunny continued her play and looked more like a drowned rat than a nice fluffy puppy!

Once this evening, I did manage to get to the end of the pier to catch a few menhaden for Ms. Ez.  These seem to be her favorite treat!  While she was munching away on the minnows, we had a visitor join in on the feeding!  A young Green Heron flew in just in time to get his supper!  As I was tossing him a few, I felt the telltale coolness of a rain-filled breeze pick up over the water.  Uh-oh..time to head back to the house! In the distance..boom..the thunder rolled and lightning bounced!  Ms. Ez looked at me as if to say.."Hey..are you nuts?? Lets get out of here!"  I secured the fishing gear and we made the dash back up the hill.  Just as we ran up the steps..Boom!..and the rain came!  Bring on the rain...the plants were thirsty anyway!

Peg-leg Pete

I come across a lot of critters during my hikes around the Bayou. Occasionally, I will name one of these creatures because something will be different ..something makes this one critter stand out from the rest. The critter will soon be given a name as a way of identifying it when I am telling a story or labeling a picture. Today's critter name...Peg-leg Pete. Peg-leg Pete wandered into view late this afternoon as I was just leaving the pier. It was just starting to get rather dark and the gnats were gnawing voraciously on my exposed arms. Then I spied Peg-leg Pete. He had walked...or hopped..out onto the mudflat to find his supper. At first, it surprised me that Peg-leg Pete was back..he had not been here since early last Spring. As he was hopping about picking up tidbits of food, I could only imagine how hard it must be for him. To fish in the deeper waters must require a good bit of agility..something he was lacking. The mudflats most likely offer him his only sure source of a meal. You see..Peg-leg Pete is a young one-legged Green Heron. He undoubtedly lost his leg in an attack upon him at a much younger age but somehow survived to be an adult. I have seen him hopping around the yard trying to catch grasshoppers or other grass bugs and during extremely low tide, I have seen him on the mudflats. Not once, have I observed him venturing out near the open waters or far from the safety of the marsh. He hobbles about on his one leg rather well considering the consistency of the mudflats. Everything from clam shells to outboard motors sink completely out of sight when dropped on the mud around the Bayou so how in the world can a one-legged bird bounce around with no trouble?

Peg-leg Pete is an Green Heron visiting the Bayou. This picture was taken last Spring. It was already getting dark making it hard to see.

This is Peg-leg Pete's second Winter on the Bayou. I noticed him a few times last Winter but never thought he would survive. This Winter..he seems far more confident and far healthier than before. It just goes to show that with a bit of determination and a lot of hard work, things can be accomplished..life can continue. Peg-leg Pete..you are an inspiration even if you are only a bird! Ahhh..life on the Bayou is sure interesting!

The World's Most Intelligent Bird!

I am fascinated by the wildlife that abounds here on the Bayou. It seems that every day that passes brings some new and interesting discovery. Sometimes it is a new animal or bird that I have not seen before and the other times it may be one of my old "friends" that just does something that surprises me. Today's topic is the latter of these two..one of the "usuals" on the Bayou that startled me with its ingenuity! For those who do not believe that animals and birds think and reason..I say hogwash! All you need do is sit and watch for a while and you will realize that sometimes reasoning is the only explanation for some action.

Near the pier there is the wallowed out hole that becomes a landlocked pool when it is low tide in the Bay. Here, small minnows and sometimes large fish become trapped and are easy targets for predators such as the herons, egrets and otters. Even the little Garter Snake finds a fast and easy meal. But none of these appears to be as smart as the Little Green Heron. This is a rather small heron as herons go but it also seems to be one of the smartest. I watched as this bird tried its best to catch a meal of bull minnows in the shallow water. It would stand as still as a stone statue, waiting..waiting for the minnows to gather near and then plunge its head into the water to snag a fish. After several unsuccessful attempts, it finally gave up on minnows and turned its attention to the Fiddler Crabs. It eyed up a nice fat one and struck fast and clean. It had its supper! But instead of gulping down the whole crab, the bird ripped it in pieces..eating only some. It then picked up a small piece of the dead Fiddler Crab and dropped it into the water. Immediately, the bull minnows..being the voracious feeders they are..surrounded the tidbit and started a feeding frenzy. Now, the Green Heron could scoop up minnow after minnow! This bird was smart! It was using bait to catch fish! Each time the bull minnows would finish off the bait, the Little Green Heron would merely toss in another piece and stand still. It would wait until the minnows came to it. What a fisherman! This bird had reasoned that if it wanted fish, a trap had to be set..a bait had to be used. Now that is one smart bird!

The Green Heron is a rather small, stocky heron standing only about seventeen inches tall. It more oft than not will stand with its neck pulled back tight against its body making it seem even shorter than it really is. It is more of a nocturnal bird than diurnal, preferring to feed in the early morning or late evening hours and then retreating back to a sheltered area during the middle of the day. It is also a bit of an antisocial bird as it rarely is seen with others except during nesting season. Actually, the only time I have ever seen more than one in a given area is during the fledgling stage when the parent birds are teaching the young how to fish. Those skills most likely are passed from one generation to another. It seems that this is one of the few tool-using birds and this action has earned it the title of being one of the world's most intelligent birds according to many ornithologists. I am still amazed at my tool-using bird!