In Memorium Great Blue Heron

[Ed Cordes]

Many of you know that we have had a Great Blue Heron visiting our water garden over the past few weeks. In a previous post a few weeks ago I asked if there were a way to discourage the heron from eating our gold fish without hurting it. My wife and I like herons a lot and understand it was just following its natural behavior, and we did not want to punish it for being a heron.

Well, I am very sad to say that one of my neigobors is not so understanding. He is a "hunter type" and shot the heron a few days ago because it was "eating the minoes" in his pond :( I will never understand people who say they are "outdoorsmen" and love and respect nature while at the same time they feel this overwhelming compulsion to kill the very things they profess to love and admire.:confused: A discussion with my neighbor would be less than productive!!

In any case I am posting this image of the recently departed heron sitting in a pine tree near the pond on my property early one morning. The image is not great. It was taken from my living room through the picture window that has two panes of glass. The OOF pine branch is distracting and I barely got his feet in. The image was made with a 40D and 100-400 with ISO 200 and f 5.6 and 1/320. It represents a slight crop.

I post the image not so much for critical comments; I know where it falls down photographically. However, I do post it as a tribute to a wonderful living thing that did not understand how dangerous human beings can be.

RIP GBH.

[Doug Campbell]

Well, I am a "hunter type" but this disgusting pile of crap you live next to is not. What an incredibly stupid thing to do. Don't put all of us in one bowl please. This guy is about as low as it gets on the food chain. Sorry for the loss.

[Ed Cordes]

Well, I am a "hunter type" but this disgusting pile of crap you live next to is not. What an incredibly stupid thing to do. Don't put all of us in one bowl please. This guy is about as low as it gets on the food chain. Sorry for the loss.

I don't mean to offend Doug. I am sorry that I did. I just found out about this and I am angry. I do realize that not all hunters are like this guy. Fortunately, he lives down the hill about 10 houses away, so I only see him occasionally.

[Beth Goffe]

Ed, that is a really sad and frustrating story. Shooting a native bird species is also illegal; too bad there isn't any way to prove he did it. As for the image, despite your shooting through the window, the clipped toes and the tree branch in the way :), you caught it in pretty light. A nice tribute to a beautiful creature.

[Raymond Barlow]

Sorry this happened Ed., someone should report this clown.

[Amy DeStefanis]

There are certainly some incredibly ignorant people in the world. Over minnows? If I thought minnows would bring a Great Blue into my yard to live, I'd be restocking my bird bath every week from the local bait shop.

I guess you can still report it, and let the authorities worry about proof. They may just find it - who knows?

In the end, people generally wind up getting exactly what they deserve. Sometimes it takes longer than we'd like for cruel people to catch up to themselves, but I'm convinced that eventually, it happens.

Thanks for posting the image. I agree the light is beautiful, and the surroundings are natural. It's a fitting tribute

Amy D.

[Linda Robbins]

Please do report this jerk. What he did is illegal. Even if it can not be proved, once the authorities talk to this jerk he may think twice before he does something like this again. Amazing to me that this guy reached for a gun instead of figuring out a solution to the problem that didn't involve killing the bird.
What a shame....

_______________________

Linda

[Doug Campbell]

I don't mean to offend Doug. I am sorry that I did. I just found out about this and I am angry. I do realize that not all hunters are like this guy. Fortunately, he lives down the hill about 10 houses away, so I only see him occasionally.

No offense taken. I think you are being too nice to this person however. I could easily approve a little vigilanty justice for this clown. Talk to a local game warden and see if any action can be taken.

[Gerald_Gilligan]

I don't understand "Hunters", period...What do hunters accomplish anyway? Their justification is...?
To shoot a Great Blue Heron while it was doing what comes naturally floors me...

I'm challenged by getting close enough to take it's picture , and some "Evil Nimrod" uses a gun from a distance to end it's life.
This guy is a Coward ! and should be held responsible for his actions.
What is wrong with people today? were is the understanding and compassion for all living thing's?

Thank you for remembering this Great Blue Heron, and thank you for bringing this senseless act to the forum's attention,
It angers me and reminds me of the great beauty that I appreciate of these amazing creatures each day...
Jerry

[Arthur Morris]

Ed, how do you know that he shot the bird?

[Ed Cordes]

Ed, how do you know that he shot the bird?

He bragged about it to other neighbors. I believe it was with a bow and arrow.:(

[Doug Campbell]

I don't understand "Hunters", period...What do hunters accomplish anyway? Their justification is...?
To shoot a Great Blue Heron while it was doing what comes naturally floors me...

I'm challenged by getting close enough to take it's picture , and some "Evil Nimrod" uses a gun from a distance to end it's life.
This guy is a Coward ! and should be held responsible for his actions.
What is wrong with people today? were is the understanding and compassion for all living thing's?

Thank you for remembering this Great Blue Heron, and thank you for bringing this senseless act to the forum's attention,
It angers me and reminds me of the great beauty that I appreciate of these amazing creatures each day...
Jerry

I won't take the bait on the hunting issue but I will reaffirm my disgust with this low life. He is not a hunter by any stretch of the imagination, he is simply a wanton killer.

[Grace Scalzo]

I am so sorry to hear this. Your image is a nice memorial to this innocent bird. Is there any way that this horrible act can be turned into something positive, maybe some public education?

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

This is such a sad story Ed and I am truly sorry . I could go on and say what I am thinking but probably it is better not said. I just can not believe that there are such cruel people who would deliberately hurt a living creature. Again I am truly sorry.

[Arthur Morris]

He bragged about it to other neighbors. I believe it was with a bow and arrow.:(

Hi Ed, Berating the guy here on BPN is IMO a total waste of time.

The only viable option is to walk into the local police station and state, my neighbor(s) [insert names and contact info here] stated on (insert daate here) that (insert the guy's name here) snhot and killed a Great Blue Heron with a bow and arrow on (insert approximate date here). The bird had been visiting my yard regularly and has not been seen since. I would appreciate your investigating the matter.

You could follow that up with letters to Audubon, your community association or civic groups, etc.

At Kennedy Airport many, many years ago they caught a guy who was baiting and shooting a variety of birds including Snowy Owls and endangered Peregrine Falcons and selling the taxidermy mounts. He was convicted and fined some ridiculously low amoun, like $10 per bird. I would not therefore hold out much hope for a substantial penalty but at least you would have done the right thing.