GBH on ice

ShudderBug said:

Neat picture. It looks kind of lonely and cold standing out there
on one foot. I'd do that, too, if I were out there with no boots,
but my feet would be frozen in no time.

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David W. Brewer said:

The nasty weather has moved in, with the result that most of the
lakes and ponds are completely frozen over. This is bad news for
the herons, who need open water for feeding purposes. They tend to
be territorial and remain in the same areas for awhile, until they
need to move to rivers and other sources of open water to find
food. This isn't a particularly good image, but it does illustrate
the point. And, unlike their brethern in Florida and other warm,
sunny climes, these birds know a few tricks: like only ice one
foot at a time!



--
http://www.pbase.com/dwbrewer

'Live, learn, and pass it on.'

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David W. Brewer said:

The nasty weather has moved in, with the result that most of the
lakes and ponds are completely frozen over. This is bad news for
the herons, who need open water for feeding purposes. They tend to
be territorial and remain in the same areas for awhile, until they
need to move to rivers and other sources of open water to find
food. This isn't a particularly good image, but it does illustrate
the point. And, unlike their brethern in Florida and other warm,
sunny climes, these birds know a few tricks: like only ice one
foot at a time!



--
http://www.pbase.com/dwbrewer

'Live, learn, and pass it on.'

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Waynecam said:

David W. Brewer said:

The nasty weather has moved in, with the result that most of the
lakes and ponds are completely frozen over. This is bad news for
the herons, who need open water for feeding purposes. They tend to
be territorial and remain in the same areas for awhile, until they
need to move to rivers and other sources of open water to find
food. This isn't a particularly good image, but it does illustrate
the point. And, unlike their brethern in Florida and other warm,
sunny climes, these birds know a few tricks: like only ice one
foot at a time!



--
http://www.pbase.com/dwbrewer

'Live, learn, and pass it on.'

Click to expand...

--
http://www.pbase.com/waynes6

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David W. Brewer said:

The nasty weather has moved in, with the result that most of the
lakes and ponds are completely frozen over. This is bad news for
the herons, who need open water for feeding purposes. They tend to
be territorial and remain in the same areas for awhile, until they
need to move to rivers and other sources of open water to find
food. This isn't a particularly good image, but it does illustrate
the point. And, unlike their brethern in Florida and other warm,
sunny climes, these birds know a few tricks: like only ice one
foot at a time!



--
http://www.pbase.com/dwbrewer

'Live, learn, and pass it on.'

Click to expand...

ShudderBug said:

Neat picture. It looks kind of lonely and cold standing out there
on one foot. I'd do that, too, if I were out there with no boots,
but my feet would be frozen in no time.

I don't think he was anything but cold. He would move around quite a bit, then resort to a one-footed position. When relatively stationary for any amount of time, he would alternate on which foot he would stand. There were several gbh within sight doing the same thing; this one was the closest. This bay is realtively shallow, and I've seen gbh here before. Likely this is feeding area he/she has used before, and the bird returned to it because of luck feeding in the past. It's almost as though the bird cannot understand what ice is,that the door to the pantry has been (iced) shut.

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Waynecam said:

David W. Brewer said:

The nasty weather has moved in, with the result that most of the
lakes and ponds are completely frozen over. This is bad news for
the herons, who need open water for feeding purposes. They tend to
be territorial and remain in the same areas for awhile, until they
need to move to rivers and other sources of open water to find
food. This isn't a particularly good image, but it does illustrate
the point. And, unlike their brethern in Florida and other warm,
sunny climes, these birds know a few tricks: like only ice one
foot at a time!



--
http://www.pbase.com/dwbrewer

'Live, learn, and pass it on.'

Click to expand...

--
http://www.pbase.com/waynes6

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Bob Myers1 said:

David W. Brewer said:

The nasty weather has moved in, with the result that most of the
lakes and ponds are completely frozen over. This is bad news for
the herons, who need open water for feeding purposes. They tend to
be territorial and remain in the same areas for awhile, until they
need to move to rivers and other sources of open water to find
food. This isn't a particularly good image, but it does illustrate
the point. And, unlike their brethern in Florida and other warm,
sunny climes, these birds know a few tricks: like only ice one
foot at a time!



--
http://www.pbase.com/dwbrewer

'Live, learn, and pass it on.'

Click to expand...

--
Bob Myers WB7SBW
2 - Olympus C21oo 2 - B3oo
http://members.cox.net/digiphotos3/
http://members.cox.net/digiphotos/
http://members.cox.net/digiphotos2/
http://members.cox.net/robert.myers1/
http://members.cox.net/robert.myers2/

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MotorCityJim said:

here's the evidence ;-)



I shot his guy, last summer, just outside Det., MI
--
Jim K...UZI'ing, & UZing (c-7oo), just outside Detroit, MI...US of A
http://www.pbase.com/jkorsog ...Pbase supporter
http://jimk.instantlogic.com/

Nice environmental shot. I would have loved to have had that sunshine Saturday! What I have trouble understanding is the bird's behavior. If it was bothered by the cold ice, why keep standing on it!?! i assume the bird is reacting instinctively in that this area is a feeding area, that the instinct to return to a feeding area is being challenged by the reflex of reacting to the cold ice. Birds tend not to be terribly cerebral; most of their behavior is instinctive. Instincts tend to be above the level of the brainstem, whereas the reflex arcs tend to not be above the level of the spinal cord. Hence the instinct to return to the feeding area outweighs the reflex to avoid the discomfort of the cold ice; however the discomfort triggers the reflex to avoid the cold as much as possible by only standing on one foot at a time. I'm trying not to anthromorphize the bird and its behavior; approaching it from a neurological sense helps explain it.
--

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David W. Brewer said:

The nasty weather has moved in, with the result that most of the
lakes and ponds are completely frozen over. This is bad news for
the herons, who need open water for feeding purposes. They tend to
be territorial and remain in the same areas for awhile, until they
need to move to rivers and other sources of open water to find
food. This isn't a particularly good image, but it does illustrate
the point. And, unlike their brethern in Florida and other warm,
sunny climes, these birds know a few tricks: like only ice one
foot at a time!

--
http://www.pbase.com/dwbrewer

'Live, learn, and pass it on.'

Click to expand...

Sarahbee said:

C'mon, can't you go back out there with a pocket full of "feeder"
goldfish (from the pet store, not the crackers!) and give this bird
a treat??

Cool photo. Around here there is still some open water but the
herons are looking a little bit grumpy for sure.

---
Sarah
Cabin John, MD
http://www.pbase.com/sarahbee

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Brian G. said:

Hi David,

Nice shot and fun commentary.

Regards,
Brian

--
Brian
Digital Image Gallery:

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/spiritmist/Brian_Geldziler_Digital_Image_Gallery/index.htm

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KarenWV2 said:

I hope he figures it out and heads for some open water. Great shot.

Karen

--



'Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.'

Last words of General Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson, killed in error
by his own troops at the battle of Chancellorsvillle during the US
Civil War, 1863.

At the location where I captured this image, it's only a little over twelve miles to the Mississippi River, and about forty miles to the Ohio River. Both are relatively open at this time, although some of the backwater sloughs are frozen over and there are ice floes in the main channel. There are, of course, many lesser rivers and streams in the area that are still open. I don't think he/she is in danger of going hungry, but they sure resist leaving their territory unless it is absolutely necessary. Even the gbh that feeds on the lake at home is reluctant to leave, even though the only open water is what the wintering waterfowl keep open overnight. A sunny day and a little open water and ...he's back! Possibly the resistance to leave an established territory is part of an energy conservation behavior in times of bad weather; I really don't have the answer.

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