I participate in the annual Breeding Bird Survey, and read in the newsletter to volunteers last year that Great Blue Herons were the only species (in 2007) that showed significant signs of decline. I haven't see anything else about it, so can't tell you the cause, whether it is a trend or part of a cycle. But there's scientific evidence to corroborate your observation.
I was fortunate to stumble upon one of these fine creatures last month, and it was not too shy...
Wow, Van, did you take the photo? That's just beautiful.
I'm sorry to hear that my observations were accurate--there are times I'd SO much rather be wrong! I should check with the Missouri Department of Conservation or our local Audubon Society to see what their observations are...I was going to, till I finally started seeing them again with regularity!
Yes, I was surprised to encounter this bird on my daily walk a couple weeks ago, at sunrise in a city park a few hundred yards from my apartment. You might enjoy a look at the daily photo journal I've been keeping since April:
Sorry to be the bringer of bad news about the heron, although I believe it's better for us to know about these things and discuss them. I wonder whether their troubles might be tied to the global decline in amphibians, which are probably an important food source. I don't know, it's just a thought that came to me now as I was thinking about it. I prefer to hope it was just a temporary phenomenon appearing in last year's data.
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I was fortunate to stumble upon one of these fine creatures last month, and it was not too shy...
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I'm sorry to hear that my observations were accurate--there are times I'd SO much rather be wrong! I should check with the Missouri Department of Conservation or our local Audubon Society to see what their observations are...I was going to, till I finally started seeing them again with regularity!
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/vaneramos/sets/72157604803122973/
Sorry to be the bringer of bad news about the heron, although I believe it's better for us to know about these things and discuss them. I wonder whether their troubles might be tied to the global decline in amphibians, which are probably an important food source. I don't know, it's just a thought that came to me now as I was thinking about it. I prefer to hope it was just a temporary phenomenon appearing in last year's data.
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I wonder about the amphibians, too--the heron I watched was catching small fish...
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