I was out rangering at a park with a small lake. There was a snowy egret picking off small fish with such precision that I was forced to watch 10 strikes before it missed one. So I stuck around a while, and a young family approached. Looked like father/mother/toddler. Knowing this might be the kid’s first big bird and first predator-prey experience, I crouched low to be closer to his level. I said (catching the parents’ eyes as I spoke): “you see that bird right there? That bird is gonna catch a fish!” The kid kinda perked up but the parents were kinda “yeah ok whatever”…Within 30 seconds the bird struck the water and came up with a fish, right in front of the kid. The kid was totally unimpressed, but the parents went bonkers, yelling in delight.
This was the strongest example I’ve experienced of the Know Your Audience principle.
Blue herons are incredible when they stand motionless as they hunt. Then when they take off and fly, with their tremendous wingspan spreading out and their slow wing-beats, it is truly poetic. When we were staying on Bound Brook Island in Wellfleet, MA, two weeks ago, our solitary cottage overlooked a nascent marsh, and a pair of blue herons called it theirs. We never saw more than these two amazing birds, most likely because the marsh hasn’t had time to provide enough prey for them.
Pro tip: When searching for frogs, first assume you will not see them. But at night (and especially in spring), you will hear them. Frogs on springtime evenings are symphonic.
I was out rangering at a park with a small lake. There was a snowy egret picking off small fish with such precision that I was forced to watch 10 strikes before it missed one. So I stuck around a while, and a young family approached. Looked like father/mother/toddler. Knowing this might be the kid’s first big bird and first predator-prey experience, I crouched low to be closer to his level. I said (catching the parents’ eyes as I spoke): “you see that bird right there? That bird is gonna catch a fish!” The kid kinda perked up but the parents were kinda “yeah ok whatever”…Within 30 seconds the bird struck the water and came up with a fish, right in front of the kid. The kid was totally unimpressed, but the parents went bonkers, yelling in delight.
This was the strongest example I’ve experienced of the Know Your Audience principle.
Good story!
SO beautiful!!!
Blue herons are incredible when they stand motionless as they hunt. Then when they take off and fly, with their tremendous wingspan spreading out and their slow wing-beats, it is truly poetic. When we were staying on Bound Brook Island in Wellfleet, MA, two weeks ago, our solitary cottage overlooked a nascent marsh, and a pair of blue herons called it theirs. We never saw more than these two amazing birds, most likely because the marsh hasn’t had time to provide enough prey for them.
More info about the Duck Harbor overwash which has started the process of creating the marsh here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/9097406825514396a267bb2f23f35088
Thanks for the link.
Marshes are among the best places on this here planet.
Pro tip: When searching for frogs, first assume you will not see them. But at night (and especially in spring), you will hear them. Frogs on springtime evenings are symphonic.