mid-week treat (herons)

Wow. What a fantastic day...from start to finish.


Thundershowers were threatening so I was ecstatic when I got home and the rain ended about half an hour later. I had been sort of bummed because I had this bike ride planned and it looked like it was going to be rained out. Anyways, I heard that there were common moorhens nesting in the Terry Fox reservoir. I had no idea there was a reservoir on Terry Fox...it's so close to my house. And I haven't seen moorhens yet. So I jumped on my bike and headed over there.

I found a few caches on the way, and found myself at the spot. I noticed that on the residential side of the street, there was a little creek that feeds the reservoir, so I thought I might as well check it out too. At the end of the path, a woman was looking up at this big tree with a crow in it and pointing her little camera at it. So I went up to her, and she showed me another bird with a white belly just below the crow. "Do you know what that bird is?" she asks.

And this is the part where I love knowing a little bit about something and getting to share it. "Actually, I do." So there was this beautiful black-crowned night heron (which I never would have spotted), posing so very nicely and silently and close to me. I thanked her for pointing it out and got the best pics I've ever got of one of these fantastic birds!!

After that I headed to the other side of the road, where I saw more night herons, juveniles this time...I also saw a bunch flying overhead. The place was crawling with them.

I just can't believe I didn't realize this was there and I can safely say it's one of my new favourite birding spots. It's not that big and there's just one trail running through it, but you can get a good view of the pond, and it seemed to be a really active area. Shortly after, I spotted a green heron fishing, and then later, as I walked down to one area where you can closer to the water, I heard something rustling right behind me, and there's another one, maybe 10 feet away. I absolutely LOVE these birds. Such a treat!!!

looks a little pigeon-toed!

I can't believe these pics turned out at all. I was shooting handheld and cranked the ISO to 1000...which I NEVER do...but it worked out.

It was one of those summer nights where the almost-full moon was hanging large and transparent on the blue sky's horizon and late sun made everything look like gold...you can't help but feel great when things you didn't expect fall into your lap, and everything seems to come together. Maybe it was the yoga I did this afternoon that put me into this mindset, but I felt an immense appreciation for a lot of things in my life.

But I do still need to go back for the moorhens, lol!