A Morning with Bullhead Pond’s Green Herons

August 13, 2021                                                     Most Recent Posts:
Camping on the Battenkill         More Unexpected Fun in Eastern New York
Arlington, Vermont                                    Wandering Around Vermont                   

I was out of the house at just after 7 and in the water before 8am.  No one else around.  Just the way I like it.

An earlier post gave a first look at Bullhead Pond and a resolve to go back since although it was small, it had an easy put in and was close by.  That’s what I did with my morning.  I seem to get less and less enamored with driving.

It was early and light but the sun was not really on the pond when I began my paddle.

Is it an Eastern Phoebe flitting around?

I wonder how long before these pond lilies take over the entire surface.  Ultimately they become impossible to paddle through.

The pond has a sign for Vermont Fish & Wildlife but no indication who owns this lone house on the pond’s shore.  Seems like a great place to live.

Along the water’s edge was a lovely buttonbush.   It’s a native perennial with a very wide range from Nova Scotia to Florida.  Its flower is a favorite of butterflies and its ultimately deep red buttons are a favorite food of ducks and other waterfowl.

My kind of hitch hiker.

After paddling around the edge of the pond and seeing only the things pictured above, I wondered what to do now.  Then I saw some movement on the edge of the shore a bit away from me.  Zooming in with my camera, I located this green heron.

I spent a very long time watching him strike his various poses.  His coloring is particularly striking.

He almost seems to be say “SO what do you want?” though I wasn’t close enough to bother him.

But I was close enough for my previous friend or another of the same species to give me the eye.

Looking back in the direction of the first heron, I saw movement to the left and found two more greens.

I’m wondering if this is a family?   Dad’s out hunting?  Mom’s with junior near by?  Or am I anthropomorphizing again?

Not sure you can see how far apart they were, my colored circles are a bit light.  But the red one on the left circles these two above and the gold one on the right circles the lone green heron.  Look closely and tell me if you can spot them.

Looks like he’s fishing.

I stayed much longer than I might have at this little tranquil spot watching the herons.  In the mean time several folks had come up to where I put in with their fishing poles to try for the largemouth bass, perch and bullhead the Vermont Fish and Wildlife sign says you might find there.

A lovely morning before heading home for lunch and the various errands of life.  But this paddle was a great way to start the day.