Photos / Sounds

What

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Observer

gregslak

Date

December 8, 2019 03:46 PM PST

Description

A heavy rain this morning swelled the Los Angeles River to a dangerous torrent, swamping the river islands, leaving only small fragments above water. Some of the regular inhabitants hung in, but finding a dry spot was tough. I was keeping an eye on a Great Blue Heron on a tiny atoll, when he began squawking, and a Red-shouldered Hawk I had seen earlier, landed on an uprooted branch only a few feet away. The heron was furious and attempted to drive the hawk away ...to no avail... the hawk just settled down and ignored him. Eventually the heron gave up and both large birds just sat there ignoring each other. It was only when editing later that I noticed there was also a juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron behind them, watching! Amazing. When the hawk eventually flew off, the heron stretched his neck and fluffed his feathers, looking mighty proud.