Green Heron and Mallards

Lakeside Park was sublime this morning. There were none of those grey fluffy things overhead, and the strong contrast from the low morning sunlight added so much detail to everything it touched.

As I seem to be doing quite often now, I'm going to play this morning in reverse. From the far side of Shoemaker Lake, I spotted the green heron. It flew into the reed beds at the bottom of the lake and on the off chance that it might appear at some point from the reeds, I made my way around Stirling Ave, to the bottom of Shoemaker Lake. I took a position, camouflaged against a dead tree trunk and waited. Eventually, the green heron did appear, but not from the reed beds I'd seen it land in. It flew over from Shoemaker Creek, circling around the dead tree I was leaning against, landing on a partly submerged branch on the edge of the reeds.


The green heron hadn't seen me. As long as I didn't make any obvious movement I was as good as invisible. The green heron had seen a pair of mallards though, and they had seen it. Mallard ducks are obviously larger than the green heron, and there were two of them. You might think that it wouldn't be a problem for the mallards to persuade the green heron to leave. The mallards had no idea that the green heron has a scary face, and neither did I.

I'm sure that the green heron has used its scary face many times before, and with good results. It seemed content with the mallards now gone.






But unfortunately in this instant, the mallards were not dissuaded for long.


The green heron sought sanctuary further into the reeds, but the mallards followed.


Only one thing for it, to escape to the reed beds on the far side of Shoemaker Lake. And that is where I left my morning at Lakeside Park.

Two hours earlier, and my morning started with an American crow at the bottom of Shoemaker Lake.




I was then given what I had been asking for, in the way of much better photos of the yellow-rumped warblers that are passing through Lakeside Park at the moment.
This male (Myrtle) yellow-rumped warbler graced me with just enough time for the photos that I wanted.

I'm finding that there is no point in trying to follow the warblers, the best results come from being prepared. If the warblers are here, they will come to you as they move through Lakeside Park.

The kinglets are still at Lakeside Park in numbers. This is a really good time to see these birds up-close. This golden-crowned kinglet is pictured as it worked along the edge of Shoemaker Creek.

Hermit thrushes are also at Lakeside park. They like to forage through the woodland floor. They have a very similar shape to the American robins, but smaller.

They will occasionally fly up to rest on a branch in-between feeding.

Also working its way through the undergrowth was this rabbit. Always listening.

A red squirrel scampered over the branches directly above the rabbit, it soon spotted me and was so curious.

The northern flickers are now well into their nesting.

As are the common grackles. The strong morning sunlight reflected off their feathers giving them a gorgeous velvety sheen.

I can't resist posting one more photo, they are so beautiful!

Copyright © wildlakeside.blogspot.com 2020 Scott Atkinson All Rights Reserved.
Location: Lakeside Park, 206 Lakeside Dr, Kitchener, ON N2M 4C5, Canada

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