This post is photo heavy, so I’ll go light on the words.

Often, as I walk around the pond, I’ll chat with neighbors who will tell me what I missed that morning, or the day before, or the week before. The truth is, I’m well aware that there are things going on at the pond that I missing constantly, even when I’m there shooting photos of something else. My biggest regret is that a neighbor saw a snowy owl, which I would love to see.

Today, I went out the door with my dog on the leash. I didn’t intend to walk around the pond but he tugged in that direction. I told him, “Fine, but let me go back for the camera.” I can’t imagine the regret I’d feel if I’d seen the sights below and not had the camera with me! Right away, I spied the heron, looking exactly as above, an “s” shape in the reeds about half way down the length of the shoreline. Something made the heron decide to take to the air. I started snapping shots of it as it passed over me. The heron circled back over where it had been. And at some point, a red-winged blackbird began to tail the heron.

The camera picked up the blackbird for the first time in the shot below. The heron circled again and cut across the pond at the midpoint. It seemed to not yet plan on leaving.So,the red-winged blackbird became more aggressive.In the photo below, if you click on it and enlarge it, you’ll see the blackbird, like a bullet heading straight for the heron’s back.Below, you see what astounds me about this small bird’s attack of such a larger bird. The blackbird sets down on and strikes the heron’s back, I presume with claws and beak.

The birds separate but the blackbird continues the pursuit.

It moves in closer,

and strikes again. (Click to enlarge photo below – you’ll see the blackbird on the heron’s back.)

For good measure, it attacks once more.The heron seems to get the message and heads to my end of the pond where it makes its final circle, then exits over the treeline above where I first saw it in the reeds.

Last week I took the photos below. Again, it’s a red-winged blackbird – but this time it’s after a red-tailed hawk!



Who gets the Father of the Year Award? The red-winged blackbird.