Green Heron

We decided to take a walk around the Mill Pond today. We did the complete loop, stopping at the west end of the pond, where the creek runs over a bit of a (man-made) waterfall. While we were there taking some pictures, a train went by. That startled the birds in the area and we saw them take flight. Of particular note, we saw a Green Heron fly up to a tree branch and then it decided to fly to another branch. I was able to see it's reddish body and darker head feathers. It was so beautiful! If the train hadn't startled it out of the water, there's no way we would have noticed it. This sighting is a new addition to our life list, the first since the spring sightings of the new warblers. As Dave said, it just goes to show there are always birds out there- we just have to look for them. Here's a fantastic link to more info on the Green Heron. Of particular interest:

Cool Facts

The Green Heron is one of the few tool-using birds. It commonly drops bait onto the surface of the water and grabs the small fish that are attracted. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifIt uses a variety of baits and lures, including crusts of bread, insects, earthworms, twigs, or feathers.

As is typical for many herons, the Green Heron tends to wander after the breeding season is over. Most wanderers probably seek more favorable foraging areas and do not travel far, but occasionally some travel greater distances, with individuals turning up as far as England and France.

and from whatbird.com:

A group of herons has many collective nouns, including a "battery", "hedge", "pose", "rookery", and "scattering" of herons."