Bird Identification help needed

By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics and access other forums reserved for members. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today by clicking here.

Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 8:35 pm

We've managed to get a picture of the main suspect in the great fish napping caper.

I think it is a heron, but could someone confirm what it is?

Thanks

Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 8:51 pm

Looks very much like a Grey Heron.... one of the best fishermen around.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Heron

Has he been pinching your goldfish from the pond? They're good at that.
He looks like a fairly juvenile one... a teenager if you will. Those facial feathers will turn whiter in full adulthood. Like this one:

Edited to add image.

Further edit: My wife thinks it's possibly a female, they are more "drab" coloured than the male.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Posts: 2049

Mugatu wrote:

My wife thinks it's possibly a female, they are more "drab" coloured than the male.

My wife thinks it's a Norwegian Blue that appears to be pining - beautiful plumage eh! Wink

I wouldn't rely on her guess though - after all she married me!

Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:26 pm

I'll leave the guessing what kind of bird it is to the members who know more about birds than I do.

But has anyone already suggested to you that you get a plastic heron for your pond? Or have you already done that?

The theory is that when the heron (if that is what it is) flies over the pond, he see's the plastic heron perched at the edge of the pond and assumes that that territory has already been taken by another heron.

Must make the goldfish a bit anxious though! Seeing the plastic heron peering down at them all day!

Juan's stalker Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 1423

We have Green herons here that are similar to that.

You may have to put a net over your pond or a scarecrow
that has material blowing in the wind to scare it off.

Some have tried automated animals that move when the heron comes around or plays loud noises. Some have tried spraying with water guns too.

Once they find good pickings they will keep coming back usually.

We have a Great blue heron that comes regularly to our natural pond and eats the frogs.

I got some really bad pics of him tho.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

I would say Great Blue "Ardea heroias"

That is a tough angle to compare pictures, and the picture is a bit grainy.

Edit: Focus on the beak area, dark on top and yellow on the bottom with the white underneath, and the yellow eye.

I am not sure if the one I pictured is a male or female, and the white spot on the shoulder of yours is interesting. I have my Sibley Guide close at hand, but I am finding much better information on the Google. What general location on the planet are you located?

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 9:31 am

It's a heron.

You can keep him off by buying a plastic heron from any decent Garden Centre and propping it by the pond. They're solitary birds and if he thinks he sees another heron already at the fishing spot, he won't even land. The plastic heron is probably the most successful deterrant there is. I would be very suprised if it doesn't work.

You need rid of the bugger though. Like the cormorant problem I had a couple of months ago, once they find a good dining table, they'll fish it until it's empty.

Trophy Videos · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 1:44 pm

Looks like a great blue heron to me. We have lots of them around here. They usually have a darker patch near the shoulder area, but they can have different coloring. Perhaps that white spot is the downy feathers underneath his gray feathers. He might have knocked some out grooming himself.

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 2:20 pm

Inspector Gadget is (I think) UK based, and we don't really get blue herons here. Only the grey ones.

Either way, I don't suppose it matters much... it's still a heron of some sort at the end of the day. And SOOI is right, the usual remedy is a plastic heron from a garden centre.

Master Baiter Joined: 19 Sep 2008 Posts: 114

The plastic heron didn't work for me Sad

, I resorted to patience, an open upstairs window, and a .22

Trophy Videos · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 4:25 pm

http://www.bird-x.com/products-visual-scare-devices-c-5_7.html

Put the "Gator Head" in the pond! Laughing

Juan's stalker Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 1423

Here are some not to great pics of the Great blue heron visiting me today.

Sorry about the quality, its a very dark day here today and my point and shoot camera was struggling.

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:55 am

Heron then.
Its on the endangered species list.

Or it certainly will be endangered if the little bugger comes near my pond again. I'll be having words with the cat, she should be dealing with this sort of thing.

Thanks for the confirmation.

Master Baiter Joined: 19 Sep 2008 Posts: 114

I don't know if it's just an "old wife's tale" but if you approach it you self protect your eyes with safety glasses (or similar), they have a reputation for pecking at them Shocked

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 6:45 pm

Definately a heron. We have had some trouble with them taking the goldfish from the pond. It has made for some great photogrpahic moments but it is pretty hard on the goldfish.

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 4:34 am

Inspector Gadget wrote:

We've managed to get a picture of the main suspect in the great fish napping caper.

I think it is a heron, but could someone confirm what it is?

Thanks

It is a grey howling african buzzard. JUst kiddin'. Looks like a great grey heron. We have great blue's in Canada and grey's are in the UK. I looked it up in a book.

Bird Identification help needed	View next topic View previous topic