The Herons of Lady Bird Lake

I often talk about seeing different birds while I paddle.  I am a huge fan of the herons.  I have noticed that different species are seen on the lake during different seasons.

Over the winter the one I saw the most is the Snowy Egret.

I still see them in the summer and not as often.

Year round a fairly common site and my personal favorite are the Great Blue Herons

They are on the shoreline looking for small fish, crayfish and insects.  The other day I got within three feet of one.  It front feathers were blowing in the wind like the heron pictured above.

I love to see them flying.  Their wing span is over 5 feet and they are graceful fliers.  It is awesome to watch them land in the trees.

The greened back heron leaves the lake in the winter and is a sign of spring when they return.  They are the smallest of the herons that I see.  You often don't notice they have have long necks until you see them stretch when grabbing their breakfast out of the water.

The last of the spring and summer herons are the night herons.  They have black and white masks and are mid-sized.

All of them have a distinctive call.  When I hear it, I turn to look at the shore and see if I can find them.

This time of year I often see each type as I make my morning trip for the dock to Redbud Isle and back.