Field Notes Update

Herring Gull and Great Blue Heron Standoff /  by Todd Henson

Herring Gull watching a fish flip on the iced over river

One morning I was photographing along the iced over Potomac River when I saw a Herring Gull and a live fish flapping on the ice. I’m not sure how the Herring Gull managed to get the fish, whether the fish jumped out of a hole in the ice, whether the Herring Gull actually caught the fish, or whether a nearby Great Blue Heron might have caught and left the fish. But the Herring Gull was certainly taking advantage of the opportunity for breakfast.

Herring Gull eating fish on iced over river

Herring Gull eating fish on iced over river

The fish soon gave up its struggle, and the Herring Gull began eating. And that is how this particular story would have ended if not for the previously mentioned nearby Great Blue Heron. For it seems the heron took an interest in the gull and the fish it was eating.

The tension builds as a Great Blue Heron watches the Herring Gull

But this didn’t deter the gull. If anything, it knew its time with the fish might be short, so it went right back to eating, determined to get what it could out of the fish.

Herring Gull continues eating fish on iced over river

But you see, the heron lived on the island not far from the gull and its fish. And it didn’t seem to like the idea of some other bird, in particular this smaller gull, flagrantly eating a fish right beside its island, and in plain view, not even trying to hide its catch.

Great Blue Heron, standing over the fish, staring down the Herring Gull

So the Great Blue Heron came over and proved its dominance, standing over top the fish the Herring Gull had been eating. The gull walked a short distance off and faced away from the heron, head held high, barely acknowledging the heron’s presence.

Prolonged standoff between Great Blue Heron and Herring Gull

This standoff lasted for a short time, the heron standing sentry over the fish, the gull standing a short distance away. The heron continued to watch the gull, but the gull paid little attention to the heron.

The Great Blue Heron grows bored with the Herring Gull and returns to its island

Eventually the heron grew bored with the entire show. It didn’t appear to be hungry at the time, and only wanted to show the gull its place in the local avian hierarchy. So the Great Blue Heron slowly walked over the ice back to its island, leaving the fish untouched on the ice. The gull walked back over to the fish and continued eating.

Crossing paths, the Great Blue Heron returns to its island, the Herring Gull returns to its fish

The Great Blue Heron had proven who was boss and demonstrated why it's called Great. The Herring Gull had remained patient, nonchalantly ignoring the heron, and was able to keep its fish. The morning ended in a win-win situation, not an everyday occurrence in nature.

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Song Sparrow on a Frosty Morning /  by Todd Henson

Song Sparrow contemplating a piece of marsh grass

There are days when it’s cold out and I get lazy. I stay inside, nice and warm, drinking hot chocolate and having plenty to eat. But our little avian friends don’t often have that luxury. Regardless of how cold it is they still need to eat.

Portrait of a Song Sparrow on frosty marsh grass

A number of years ago I found myself hiking through a wetlands park on a morning when everything was covered by a thin layer of frost (I wasn’t lazy that morning). Cold or wet mornings can be very hit or miss when it comes to photographing birds. Though many birds do still need to forage, they often don’t come out in as large a number and they don’t stay out as long.

Song Sparrow pulling marsh grass on a frosty morning

But this morning I had the pleasure of watching a little Song Sparrow foraging through the marsh grass, pulling out pieces not covered in frost. It was very determined, and not very shy, provided I kept a comfortable distance. How far is comfortable depends on the bird and can vary over time. As a bird gets more comfortable with you it will frequently let you get a little closer. And some species just seem less afraid of people than others. But always pay attention to the behavior of the bird. If it starts paying too much attention to you, or startles too much as you move, or moves further away as you move closer, take that as a sign you may have gotten a little too close. Try to stay at a distance where the bird is comfortable with your presence. Not only will you get better images that show a relaxed bird doing what birds do, but you’ll also avoid overly stressing the bird. Putting too much stress on these little creatures can harm them in the long run.

Song Sparrow on frosty marsh grass

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Pair of Familiar Bluet Damselfly Mating /  by Todd Henson

Pair of Familiar Bluet Damselfly mating

Damselflies have a fascinating method of mating, as seen in this image of a mating pair of Familiar Bluet damselflies. The male damselfly is blue and the female is green. The male produces sperm in an organ near the end of its abdomen, on the underside. It then curls its abdomen and transfers the sperm to a secondary organ at the other end its abdomen, again on the underside, just behind the shoulder and wings (notice where the end of the female’s abdomen is attached to the male in the image).

After the male has attracted a female it clasps the female behind her head using claspers on the very end of its abdomen. The female curls her abdomen segments, attaching the rear of her abdomen to the male’s secondary organ where it deposited its sperm. They form an interesting patten when attached to one another. I’ve seen them perched this way on branches, as in the image, and I’ve also seen them sometimes fly together in tandem. It’s an amazing sight.

Later the female will remove her abdomen from the male and deposit her eggs somewhere, typically on submerged vegetation. The male usually continues to clasp the female while she deposits her eggs.

I love observing behaviors of various species in nature. There are such varied, and sometimes complex, behaviors out there, it never grows old, and there’s always more to see and more to learn. This is an example of why it’s important to re-visit the same locations throughout the year. You can observe different behaviors at different times.

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