Herons, Cormorants and Rudy the Ruddy Duck
Although I’ve not been able to venture anywhere except to/from work, my community ‘loop’, and my balcony this past week, our feathered friends are on the move every morning and evening no matter where you are or go! I’ve accumulated a series of several birds and decided to post a few in this post and publish, before moving on to the next groups.
My first share is the Green Heron. I was very excited to see him perched on top of the tennis court fence on one of my car loops. I stayed in the car and took these photos through the fence so you may slightly see the fence image over him. I was impressed how they turned out; I was sure if I got out of my car, he would fly. The sacrifices & decisions we make and hope for the best! I’ve found the Green Heron to be very flighty compared to the Great Blue Heron; and although this one had his eye on me a few times, he didn’t seem to care about me. Of course, he knew I couldn’t scale the tennis court fence and get him. LOL
The Green Heron grows up to 18″ tall where the Great Blue up to 46″. Big difference!
Green Heron - struttin' his stuff!
Green Heron - perched on top of a tennis court fence
Green Heron
Green Heron
Alongside the tennis courts on a separate day in the marshy inlet, a Great Blue Heron was stationary. As I moved closer on foot, I tried to get directly in front of him without falling in, but he still wouldn’t budge or look my direction. So this next shot became the best I could capture of him.
Great Blue Heron
As I proceeded to get out of the slippery mud, I turned & glanced back at him through the reeds. He had turned and was looking at me! I quickly took the one next shot and kept going, I was sinking in the mud! LOL I do believe he was teasing me. In fact I could have swore I heard a chuckle. 😉
Great Blue Heron - teasin' me
Yesterday morning at sunrise, another Great Blue Heron was down on the berm at our osprey nest. It was foggy and you could feel the dew in the air. He was all fluffed up (maybe airing out his feathers?), walking around on top of the rocks, not at the water, picking up and dropping different sticks that had washed up from the tides. None seem to meet his criteria for nesting material. He went onto the grass and began preening his feathers for the next half hour while I checked back and forth on him before I had to leave.
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Large flocks of Double-crested Cormorants are heading north most mornings. I’m guessing there’s a darn good breakfast buffet up the Bay! The next shots are from three separate mornings just after sunrise where I was fortunate to have them fly over me instead off in the distance. For one morning’s share, I couldn’t decide between photos 2 & 3, so I posted both.
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorant
My final photos are the Ruddy Duck who I’ve posted about in a couple previous posts. He has continued to reside in our marina and is just too pretty and photogenic not to share again. Since he’s there most mornings and evenings on my loop, I started calling him Rudy. Makes sense, huh?! The first five shots were part of nine total I took of him one evening when I found him napping, then he gave me a few flirty photo ops, and then he went back to his napping. I think he’s gotten accustomed to my presence, this time he didn’t even mind that I got out of the car and went on to the dock to take his picture. In the background of the photos, our pool fence is reflecting on the water.
"Rudy" the Ruddy Duck
"Rudy" the Ruddy Duck
"Rudy" the Ruddy Duck
"Rudy" the Ruddy Duck
"Rudy" the Ruddy Duck - back to his nap
The next two were taken after sunrise another day with the pink flowering trees reflecting their color on the water around Rudy.
"Rudy" the Ruddy Duck
"Rudy" the Ruddy Duck
Another early morning with Rudy still asleep on my arrival.
"Rudy" the Ruddy Duck
My next posts will include red-winged blackbirds, mallards, and barn swallows; and I’m also working on an area osprey update & our Oyster Cove Osprey Depot nest platform. Our platform is still just a perch for any one that needs a rest, although several osprey think it’s theirs. And I’ve also seen osprey grabbing talons-full of the remaining dirt/stick mixture that’s good for packing the inside of a nest. So we still have activity, though not much.
As always, thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend!
Photos by Donna 
Nice pictures Donna! 🙂
Many thanks HJ! 🙂
Well done on the Green Heron, I especially like the second image. I’ve only seen them a couple times – they are always exciting to find! Your in-flight cormorant shots are nice, too! The doggone Ruddy Duck seems to be my nemesis, as every time mine come out poorly. Thanks for sharing these photos, Donna.
Thanks Ken for such nice comments! I was very excited on the Green Heron, he was my best to date of those. A crazy place of perching for the shot, but I’ll take it! 🙂
Great photos! I can relate to your sinking in the mud story, I was doing that today while getting some bad photos. What we photographers will go through. 🙂
So right on what we do! My shoes cleaned up, how ’bout yours? LOL Thanks Jerry!
Your photos are amazing and I love them all. I’ve only ever seen the Great Blue Heron in real life so the other Heron photo and the Ruddy duck were great to see close up. Really nice shots!
Thanks so much Joleen! The Green Herons are hard to find, I actually see more of them in flight than perched, so I felt real lucky to get this one who was so very cooperative! 🙂
Normally I check my spelling…sorry for the typos, but NICE JOB!
I fixed it for ya! I’ve done the same thing, no problem!
I fixed it for ya, Joleen! I’ve done the same thing, no problem!
A great collection of photos again, Donna. I loved all the pics of the “Green Heron” (hint), and those cormorants in flight are fantastic. Well done. 🙂
Thanks Bob! But my audubon guide said green-backed….just googled and see, how ’bout that. Thanks for the correction, well-received. I need ya to keep me straight! 🙂
I couldn’t wait to meet Rudy! I love that you name them. And the shots of the Heron on the green bar are spectacular! I actually think the green bar and the fence add to your composition beautifully Donna. Jeez, you live in a winged paradise!!! Margie
Thanks Margie, I thought of all places around me to sight a Green Heron and he’s on top of a fence, but it did give the shot some added appeal!
Very nice! The green heron picked that tennis court since it matches his feathers! Still don’t know how you manage to make it anywhere, but I so appreciate you sharing! thanks!
Appreciate it, Beth! I do live on a tight schedule, always trying to work in and pick up a few minutes here & there to find my quiet moments with nature. Keeps me sane and happy! 🙂
Love the green-backed heron pix. And it’s always a joy to see a ruddy duck.
Thanks Martha! 🙂
Two different sorts of herons! You are lucky.
I surely was, Tom! Thanks!
Never seen a green-backed heron. Went looking for the Ruddies on the weekend -not yet…great shot of the three cormorants.
Thanks Jane, I’ve just corrected the ID from a fellow bird blogger (thx Bob!), it is a green heron. My audubon guide misinformed me! But they are a pretty small heron, most times I see them in flight alone. I thought of you when I posted the ruddy again! 🙂 He is a cutie!
Great photos Donna !!! I really need to budget for longer glass!!!
Thanks David! Not sure if you know, but I also use a 1.7X teleconverter with my 70-200mm, gets you closer yet for a lot less in cost. Not sure if you have/use one or looked into them. Still though, I got my eye on a 300mm but, geez the cost! I’m still saving!! 🙂
You may only get pics going to and from work but you get some amazing bird shots, a true birders paradise..:-))
Boy, if I didn’t have to work, I’d really be a happy birder for sure! So thankful for what I capture when I do. 🙂
Love the green heron and Rudy pictures! Last summer I was kayaking in our cove, and saw an unusual bird looking like he was in the heron family. You solved the mystery…it was the green heron! Haven’t seen him since though. Looks like their legs were shortened at some point in time! 🙂 Beautiful bird. Love the ducks too. They make me laugh how fast they fly between trees, low to the water with such a graceful landing every time!
Love the way you capture the moment!!
I loved the water shots – all the different textures and shapes of ripples. It’s the first time I’ve paid that much attention to the water rather than just the bird.
I do have a thing with the water, always trying to get splash or ripples, maybe some sun reflection in the shot. Of course, the photo subject usually doesn’t cooperate and float where you want! Rudy was a perfect little fella to visit and photograph. He always looked like he was smiling at me. Nature-moment! Miss him now too, he’s been gone little over a week now. But now there’s a cormorant that’s been in the ruddy duck’s spot for last few days, got some good shots of him to share soon as I can. 🙂