While checking Bluebird boxes on a golf course that runs next to a small stream, I saw a Great Blue standing with something dark hanging from its mouth that caught my eye. The Heron was shaking a rodent. It would put it on the ground and pick it up to shake it again. He repeated this about 10 times before swallowing the critter. Quite a large mouse or vole I would guess. I was at quite a distance.
Sadly in one box, I had one dead bluebird young with two others alive and hopefully well. I was glad for them to be able to remove their sibling, as the odor -- although I guess they don't have much sense of smell -- was memorable. It's nearly time for Cardinal Flower blooms, and I hope to see some along the banks of the golf course stream as in past years, but the stream was dredged up last year with the soil piled high along the banks and the plants may not have fared so well with the massive upheaval. Judy Thurber Liverpool Sent from my iPad -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
