A Heron Surprise!

I went out earlier this evening to grab the hummingbird feeder on the porch so I could change the nectar and as soon as I stepped out the door I knew something unusual was going on with the wildlife.  A squirrel was making an odd alarm noise from a tree and some of the birds were making alarm sounds.  The feeders have been very busy today because of the heavy rain.  Even both adult bluebirds were calling which really caught my attention.  I knew a predator of some sort was nearby.

After I changed the nectar I went back outside and the same situation was prevalent.  I walked over to the big spruce to put some old bread rolls on the ground and to scan the area.  A Great Blue Heron flew up from the small koi pond on the other side of the driveway.  I did not see him before that because my buddy’s truck was blocking the view from the porch.

Uh, oh.  He was fishing.  Lol!  I went over to count fish heads and the fish were all there, motionless and hiding under the lilly pads.  Lucky them!  I stayed outside for a while and scanned the trees to see if the heron was waiting for another chance.  The water is very clear because it passes through a UV light apparatus and I was surprised the heron had not already snagged a fish.  That would be an easy meal! 

Then I decided I should cover the pond because someone would be very upset if a heron stole her valuable fish.  I covered the pond with strong wire netting for now which is used in the winter to help keep out debris.  Only one small area behind the spillway is open.  Those fish are very wary of anyone coming near the pond and will hide if they detect movement above them but herons are very patient and experts at stillness when they are hunting.  Sooner or later a fish will move.

From Cow Dung to Zinnias

I saved my zinnia flower heads from last year and finally have all of the seeds planted in different places.  The butterflies love them and I love having butterflies around me  — I find them delightful.  The last of the seeds went into one of my buddy’s cow dung compost piles on the hill beyond the garden.  He shaped a shallow bowl on the top of the pile for me with a hoe and I planted the seeds in the bowl.  That was yesterday and we are having lots of rain from storm ”Barry” today; over an inch so far.  It will look cool, I think, when they flower; a colorful surpise in an unlikely place.   

I noticed a Yellow Swallowtail poking around in the piles one day so it must have been extracting nutrients from the cow dung.  I think it was the same butterfly a bluebird later snatched, beat senseless on the ground, de-winged and fed to its young in the box.  Last week I planted the rest of the zinnia seeds in the garden, in a row, and some in a glazed pot I have next to the barn where I planted my butterfly flowers.  I have seen few butterflies so far this spring.