In Search of Heron Pictures

I was out this Sunday hiking with my son and took some photos of a heron with my Galaxy S7. The bird is a bit too small to see and zooming in digitally is not that satisfactory. As we got closer we both took out our camera phones and pointed them at the heron. The bird took off with a great “squawk” sounding like what I would imagine the noise an old prehistoric pterodactyl would make.

Herons are really shy of people taking notice of them. Other people had successfully walked past without noticing the bird and spooking it.

The day was nice and the sun was out - you can see some old equipment and the heron if you look closely.

I was wishing I had taken my Panasonic because it has a nice optical zoom so I came back today 10/12/16 hoping to get some better photos. The sun was out but it was a bit chilly, windy and cold. Very shortly I came across a heron standing on the bank by the side of the slough. I started taking some still photos and the bird began to start walking. I thought he was going to fly away so I went into video mode. I didn’t have a tripod so the video came out a bit shaky and the wind caused a lot of noise whistling over the microphones. I could post the video if anyone is interested – it is shot in HD but not the best quality so I am hesitant. Here’s the pictures though:

Walking back I noticed two more Herons out fishing but they were too far away to get a good photo but you can see the island peak off in the distance in the bay and the water flowing in the slough.

Here’s the dock I went out to the get the pictures. I noticed that even though the building and dock looks old and abandoned there was some new repairs on the dock. I noticed the gap between the dock and the building and was wondering what that was for.

I thought, “maybe that’s where they force the cattle fish through the narrow gap so they are easier to brand”. Lol, well I grew up on the plains so it reminded me of… oh never mind.

Then it occurred to me, “Low tide, of course... that is why the dock is sitting on the ground and the herons are way out there chasing the fish by the water. Maybe I should come back at high tide if I want better pictures”.

Then I started wondering what the heck this strange looking dock, odd rusty machinery and decrepit looking building was used for. I tried the door but it was locked. Going around to the front I noticed the other door was padlocked and chained but it was open a crack so you could just poke a camera in. The Panasonic would barely fit but I got a photo.

I could see there was a bunch of old tanks and a sign that said Fish on it. I’m getting excited thinking the other side is probably filled with a bunch of dangling fish carcases on meat hooks. “I’ll bet they’re aging the fish there and when they get just right and fall off the meat hook they scrap the mold off and sell them in the market kind of like tender aged beef”, I think to myself.

I dangle my S7 cell phone through the gap and point it around the door. “CHEESE!”, I say. Nothing happens. I refuse the coddle the crazy S7 today so I take a stab at the button getting a photo of the other end of the room.

I’m disappointed that there is not anything terribly interesting here. Just a few boxes and odds and ends – I wonder what’s in the boxes. ;) I considered posting the pictures but I thought that it would not be a good idea - I’m not sure if I would want someone doing such a thing to me without permission and it could get me in trouble. (So if anyone asks, it wasn’t me taking those pictures)

On the way back I see several hawks and wish I could get a nice picture of them. There have been many hawks around here recently - about four different types like to come through this time of year. I see a couple on the telephone pole just up from where I want to stop to buy some bird food. I tell the guy at the store about them and let him know I’m heading out there with my camera.

I wander up the side of the road towards the hawks, I can tell they are not too amused with me. They totally ignore the traffic but when your on foot… Snapping a quick photo at a distance I put the camera down hoping to get closer but they fly away after I take a few more steps.

I try to take some in flight pictures but the results aren’t all that great. I do manage to get a really nice solid blue photo that I’m considering adding the text “Yes” to on the bottom corner and then selling on ebay for lots of bucks. ;)

I got back to the shop and the guy I talked to came running out and wanted to see the results. I showed him this first photo. We both thought the birds looked like a pair of red-tailed hawks. He liked the photo.

Thanks for viewing, I hope you like the pictures and can tell when I’m just joking around.