Ever had the problem of a stuck beak? Yup, you took a big bite into a juicy piece of steak and your choppers got stuck? Well … imagine this poor Great Blue Heron that I found fishing recently. It caught a huge fish, but eating its meal was another matter. Sorry about the poor lighting. It was drizzling while I watched the hunt in progress (with lots of mosquitoes). Normally a heron would never have let me be so close, but food is a great motivator! (video link for email subscribers)

Great Blue Heron on the Hunt!

For the first time in centuries it is actually raining this morning in northern Minnesota, with some thunder and lightning thrown in for good measure. Thus, for a change I am sitting at home this morning … a rain delay. This is fantastic news as the bog water levels are amazingly low, and I was fearful of drought / wildfire conditions. Last week when hiking into a Great Blue Heron rookery, I was amazed to discover I could hike across the bog without getting my feet wet … not good. I was wearing muck boots, but they really were not necessary.

As some of you know I spent three delightful mornings birding last week down near Minneapolis in the Plymouth Wetlands. I have a few images I have been meaning to post, but to which I had not gotten around. My biggest excitement was finding three scarlet tanagers. Hopefully they will nest where I found them and provide continuing enjoyment over the course of the summer.

Scarlet Tanager (looked almost orange in the direct sunlight … red in the shade)

Great Egret Take-Off

Wood Duck Sunrise

Baltimore Oriole

Catbirds

Green Heron

Love Birds! Today there are two special means to this phrase.

• It might indicate Great Egrets which were sharing a relaxing morning preen till a Great Blue Heron came along and spoiled the party. First there were 3, then temporarily 4, then 3 again and finally 2!
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• The phrase also might indicate it has been 35 years since May 21, 1983! Molly and I have now been married that long, and it has been a great and loving ride!