Great Blue Heron

Today we're at the Washington Park Arboretum to visit the official bird of the City of Seattle.  The magnificent Great Blue Heron can be found in and around any waterway in the Pacific Northwest. This large, elegant bird is phenomenal in its ability to stalk and capture fish.  Join me as we examine the unique adaptations and striking behaviors of this beautiful resident of our Seattle waterways. 

Comments

  1. Joey MansonMay 15, 2020 at 9:39 AM

    Great video! How did you get the herons to cooperate?

    ReplyDelete
  2. EdMay 15, 2020 at 9:44 AM

    I used my bird whispering skills...works every time.....

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Beguiling Beauty: the Death Cap

Image
  Autumn is when mushroom enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest are bent low to the ground sleuthing for fruiting bodies of fungi that are popping up everywhere.  Fortunately for foragers and harvesters there are few (three) mushrooms that are deadly poisonous.  Let's get acquainted with the enticing but toxic Death Cap (Amanita phalloides).  The Death Cap is found low to the ground and has elegant proportions with a bell shaped cap that is pale olive green with a luster that often looks metallic.  The gills are white as are the spores (observe the white spore print that I have included); spore color is an important feature in determining mushroom types.  Notice the sac-like volva at the base of this mushroom: not all mushrooms have this feature but all Death Caps have volvas!   The toxin in this Amanita is a potent cyclopeptide called amanitin.  Amanitin disrupts the function of protein enzymes that leads to liver and kidney fa...
Read more and watch the video »

Washington Trails Association Article

Image
I nterested in learning about the birds you see and hear on the trail? I recently did this collaborative with Washington Trails Association on birding and hiking, check it out! It will add a new dimension to your hiking enjoyment. WTA.ORG Bird Watching Hikes in Washington: Where to See Birds, Birbs and Borbs Bird  https://www.wta.org/go-outside/seasonal-hikes/fall-destinations/bird-watching-hikes-in-washington
Read more and watch the video »

Beguiling Beauty: the Death Cap

Image
  Autumn is when mushroom enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest are bent low to the ground sleuthing for fruiting bodies of fungi that are popping up everywhere.  Fortunately for foragers and harvesters there are few (three) mushrooms that are deadly poisonous.  Let's get acquainted with the enticing but toxic Death Cap (Amanita phalloides).  The Death Cap is found low to the ground and has elegant proportions with a bell shaped cap that is pale olive green with a luster that often looks metallic.  The gills are white as are the spores (observe the white spore print that I have included); spore color is an important feature in determining mushroom types.  Notice the sac-like volva at the base of this mushroom: not all mushrooms have this feature but all Death Caps have volvas!   The toxin in this Amanita is a potent cyclopeptide called amanitin.  Amanitin disrupts the function of protein enzymes that leads to liver and kidney fa...
Read more and watch the video »