FreeLists / bristol-birds / [bristol-birds] Re: hummingbirds wintering in area

[Don Jones <n4tn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I don't know if this tale  is of any interest, butmy son Andy said that
I should send it in, so here goes:

A couple of days before Christmas I walked out into my backyard and was
startled to see a Great Blue Heron sitting on my neighbor's split rail
fence. I was startled because we live in a densely occupied neighborhood
of small homes on small lots. There is a lot of traffic - we are less
than 2 blocks from the Ft. Henry Mall, and there is no nearby stream of
any kind. I have seen a few Great Blues flying overhead but none of them
ever seemed inclined to visit here. It just does not seem like a place
that herons would want to hang out.

The Heron flew when I moved too much, but only traveled a few lots away
and landed on top of a power pole. I was surprised but figured it was
just one of those freaky things that would probably never happen again.
I told my neighbor about it  and he regretted that he had missed it.

The following day, my neighbor's wife called me to report that they had
seen the Great Blue in their yard that morning. They were excited, and
pleased to have it visit them, until the Heron took a fish from from
their small pond (about 4 or 5 feet in diameter)! When it appeared to be
going for another one, her husband stepped outside and scared the Heron
away.

There is a young man in our neighborhood who builds small decorative
fish ponds as a hobby. He has built them for himself and several of the
folks (old geezers like myself) around the neighborhood. Just after
Christmas my neighbor's wife called again to report that the Great Blue
Heron had decimated the local population of pond fishes! (The neighbors
are aware that I can generally tell a Cardinal from a Chickadee, so I
have been designated the community bird expert.)
She was practically demanding that I come up with a solution for the
situation, but I had none. Apparently he eventually cleaned everyone out
because he is no longer coming around.

Sorry to drag this out so - I just wondered if this is a common
occurence? It was a surprise to me, but almost everything that birds do
surprises me!

- Wayne Jones
 Kingsport, TN






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