Herons

Two nice heron encounters on the cameras this week. As I mentioned in a previous post the bodies of water on our property are getting smaller due to a drier than normal summer. I have one camera on the edge of our wetland and one on our closest pond. Each had heron encounters this week. First the video. Nothing fancy.

Great Blue Heron eating frog
(Seneca Falls, NY 8/12)

But the second camera, the one at the backyard pond produced an amazing predation shot. This is a Great Blue Heron with his lunch. I am not sure if that is a green or bull frog (we have both and those are the only real options here in Central NY for a frog of that size). There were no photos before that one and none after. Did the heron catch the frog and ste forward into the camera? Did it lift its head up and trigger the shutter? As amazing as this photo is, I am left wondering at the specifics of how it was captured...










Original, uncropped:

Wetland Birds

Raccoon on misty night
(Seneca Falls, NY 9/2011)

I moved two cameras to our little wetland area two nights ago. The weather has been bad, with lots of rain both nights. On the first night, I only got raccoon photos. Not that I am complaining, but I was hoping for muskrats. I set the camera trap near some fresh looking 'rat tracks.... We had some heavy fog as you can see in this photo.

Last night produced no new photos. I am not entirely surprised as it rained heavily most of the night. However, I did manage two nice bird photos.

Green heron
(Seneca Falls, NY 9/2011)

This photo shows a green heron. We have loads of tadpoles, frogs and even some fish in our wetland s there should be plenty for this guy to eat. Green herons are also known to eat insects like dragonflies. On the day I set out this camera trap, I spooked up a great egret, so I am hoping for some more wading bird pics to come!

Greater yellowlegs
(Seneca Falls, NY 9/2011)

I have to admit that shorebirds are not my specialty, but I think I have this one identified correctly. I am making this a greater yellowlegs. Most of these have already migrated through and it will be interesting to see how long I get photos of this one before it too heads south.