Lake County and Clear Lake is known worldwide for its exotic bird life. In fact, bird watchers from around the world travel to the county just to view the wild birds. During the recent Redbud Audubon Christmas bird count 137 different species of birds were sighted.
Eagles, both bald and golden, are common as well as various species of grebes, pelicans, hawks, ducks and a whole list of other birds.
One of the most common wild birds is the great blue heron. The blue heron is the unofficial bird of Lake County and one of the most recognized birds on Clear Lake. A trip along just about any shoreline will reveal at least one or more blue herons. Even though they are considered migratory birds, they live at Clear Lake year-around. The birds are attracted to the lake because of the rich food supply.
The blue heron is the largest heron in North America. A full grown adult weighs up to 8 pounds, has a wing span of more than 6 feet and stands as tall as 54 inches. They are widely spread and can be found in just about every state. In the Midwest and other states they are often called cranes even though they are not a member of the crane family.
They are also a long-lived bird with oldest recorded blue heron living 23 years. Most live to be 12-15 years. It’s a very good flier and often can be seen flying across the lake with its slow wing beats and crooked neck.
The blue heron is an excellent predator and feeds on fish, crawfish, frogs, small animals and other small birds. The main feeding times are at daylight and at dusk although they will feed throughout the day. They stand still for long periods of time waiting for a fish to swim past. Then, with a flash, they will spear or grab the fish with their long bill. They also like to walk slowly through the shallow water with head stretched out looking for fish, frogs or other prey. They also seek out mice and other small rodents in fields. A trip along Soda Bay Road usually reveals several blue herons standing in a field. They are waiting for a gopher, mouse or ground squirrel to pop up out of a hole, which they then snatch up.
Baby birds such as young blackbirds are also prey for the great blue heron. They even have been known to fly to an osprey nest and devour the young chicks although normally they are driven off by the adult osprey. I observed this a few years ago at Lakeside County Park where a great blue heron flew up to an osprey nest in a big dead tree. The male osprey guarding the nest from another tree gave a loud shriek and attacked the heron. Feathers flew everywhere as the osprey struck the heron with its sharp talons. The disheveled heron flew off with a painful lesson learned.
I once observed a blue heron trying to swallow a full grown coot. The bird would get one-half of the coot down its throat and then have to cough it up. He repeated this several times before giving up.
There have been cases where a blue heron has actually choked to death after trying to swallow a large fish. It’s not uncommon for a fisherman to catch an adult bass that has a fresh sore on its side or back resembling a stab wound. The chances are good it was made by a great blue heron.
Herons typically breed from March to May. They don’t mate for life and often select a different mate each year. They nest in trees and the female lays between two to six pale blue eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs, which hatch in 26-30 days. After about two months the young are ready to fledge and leave the nest. About 65 percent of the young don’t survive their first year.
Great blue herons are best observed from a boat and one of the better areas is from Lakeport to Lakeside County Park. Rodman Slough also holds numerous blue herons.
While herons are not the most majestic bird in the county they are an important part of our ecosystem. As long as we have plenty of herons and other birds around the lake it means that Lake County is healthy. If they begin to disappear that’s when it’s time to worry.
