Date: 3/10/23 7:09 am From: A. Liebner <000000d98121eaef-dmarc-request...> Subject: Sch. County-Great Blue Heron behavior
Yesterday morning, 3/9/23, we drove by the ponds west of The Country Store in Friedensburg, Wayne Twp. Schuylkill Co., along rte 443 & jct. of Church Rd. Those ponds are a favorite hangout of a good many Canada Geese and a few ducks in recent weeks. As we passed by, we noticed a Great Blue Heron standing in shallow water at the center of one of the ponds. The C.Geese were on the other ponds and on the surrounding grounds.
Later in the day, we drove by around 4:30 and I saw two Great Blue Herons standing near the edge of one of the ponds engaged in "pecking' behavior. I wonder if it's a mating ritual. Note: Church Road doesn't have a safe place to pull over for a good look & photos, since it's very busy and along a curve and plus Stone Mountain Road, splits off around a sharp curve. Route 443 is an even worse place to pull over. There is a parking lot at a baseball field behind the ponds where you can safely park, but we didn't have time to stop there and walk to the ponds.
Robins have been increasing in numbers. The two Northern Flickers are constant visitors to the suet and window feeders.Ravens, Red-tailed Hawks are constantly flying over the chicken farm fields looking for goodies. At least 18 Turkey Vultures have been feeding on something in one of the fields.
Happy birding,
Ann M. Liebner
Wayne Twp. Schuylkill County
