Where When How Summer 2012 : Page 176While these birds are regular visitors to TCI they are not common, so photographing both on the same day was very exciting. The Great Blue Heron is the largest and most common of the herons found in North America. It has long legs, a long 'S' shaped neck, and a long thick bill. Its body is slate gray with a white crown strip and a black eyebrow that extends back to a plume off the back of the neck. Flying high with slow wing-beats, the Great Blue Herons are still capable of flying at 50km per hour and with a wingspan of up to six-feet, they are undeniably impressive in flight. As a solitary predator the Great Blue Heron will hunt when fishing is at its best, in the morning or at dusk. It catches its prey by either walking very slowly or keeping still for long periods. Their sharp blade-like bills are capable of delivering a quick deathblow at the opportune moment. Primarily fishermen, they will also snare mice and other small animals that come within range. Their meals are swallowed whole, so this can sometimes cause a serious prob-lem if they attempt to eat a fish or animal that is larger than their thin throats can manage. There is some debate whether a white morph version of this heron exists or if it is in fact another white heron sub species. If this is scientifically proven then these birds are mostly found in Florida. As its name suggests the Little Blue Heron is the smaller of the two. This heron is a slender medium sized heron with a length of about 22 inches and a wingspan of 41 inches. It has a blue-gray black tipped bill and green legs. While it is blue-gray all over in breeding season the heron’s neck and head becomes chestnut and it develops beautiful long blue filamentous plumes. Conversely, this heron actually begins life as a pure white heron with greenish legs and a blue bill with a black tip. It is the only species of heron where the juvenile and adult birds show such a dramatic colour difference. The white colouration of the juvenile has the distinct advantage of allowing the birds to blend in with other white herons. For example, the white Snowy Egrets tolerate the presence of the juvenile blue herons and by integrating in with a larger flock, the Little Blue Herons tend to catch more fish than they would if they were on their own. And most importantly it im-proves their chance of survival against predation. After one year these birds gradually transform into the dark blue plumage of the adult. So whether you are a more professional photographer with camera always at hand, or tend towards being an amateur one like me who is also happy to just soak up the moment, there is always a bird opportunity waiting to happen here in the TCI. A fun option for viewing the wonderful birdlife is out on the water in a kayak, this silent mode of transport is efficient in getting up close, although it also depends on how much puffing and panting one is doing. Sim-ple solution, take a tandem and let your partner do all the work. If you do find yourself paddling along the coastlines, be sure to keep an eye out for the two blue herons that grace us with their pres-ence at various times of the year. I 176 • • • • • SUMMER 2012 “Where When How -Turks & Caicos Islands” Publication List Using a screen reader? Click Here |
