Monday, July 25, 2016

Great Blue Heron Foraging, 7/25/16, Rt 135, Speen St, NW Pond


As I was walking on Rt 135 to Fisk Pond, I noticed a great blue heron in the pond at the northwest corner of Speen Street and Rt 135. I crossed over and made a video of the heron. It chased away other herons and then started foraging. The water in the pond was very low so the heron was able to make catch after catch of fish, frogs and tadpoles. When I passed by on my way home later that day, there was a heron there, maybe the same one (both were juveniles). When an adult flew over the pond, the heron raised its hackles, crouched and then leaped into flight. The overflying heron didn't stop at the pond and the heron I was observing flew around the pond a bit and then settled back down to hunting. This happened a couple of times while I was observing.


Mallard with Snail, 7/25/16, Fisk Pond

At Fisk Pond I saw a mallard with a large freshwater snail stuck in the back of its mouth. The duck seemed to be in distress, its tongue was sticking out and it was shaking its head trying to dislodge the snail. Eventually it came loose, I don't know if it went in or out but the duck was fine a minute later.





Dragonfly, 7/25/16, Pegan Cove Park - Natick

Frog, 7/25/16, Pegan Cove Park

Grasshopper, 7/25/16, Pegan Cove Park



Tadpoles, 7/25/16, Pegan Cove Park - Natick

Dragonfly, 7/25/16, Fisk Pond - Natick

Dragonfly, 7/25/16, Pegan Cove Park - Natick