I live near 20 acre Bethany lake, west of Portland Oregon. I’m the Great Blue Heron, the State Bird!
We are the biggest birds in the northern hemisphere with a six foot wing span, but we will lose fights with eagles, so we nod to each other and respect jurisdictions.
The Parks Department stocked Bethany Lake with foot-long rainbow trout. These are technically native because they are salmonoids. I love trout when they are young and foolish. I barf on the water, they swim up to eat the particles, and pow pow pow, I’ve speared and eaten three trout. Yummy!
Then these danged hoomans come with their wiggly poles and line and hooks. Some watch wherever I fish, and move in where I’ve already chummed.
Time to fly. I nod to the cormorant as I pass, who dives off of the power line tower, to take up near my old spot.
I quicken my pace past the eagles. I’m sure I could take one in a fair fight but why push it. Don’t tell the eagle I said that.
I catch a nice thermal, tilt a wing, and bank west, over a suburban housing tract. Wait, I see a backyard pond. Does someone have a nice thousand-dollar platinum koi for me to eat?
Oh, my.
NEXT SCENE WITHHELD, GRAPHIC DEPICTION UNDER SEAL OF FROG COURT
I haven’t seen Billy Heron for a week or so. It’s still trout stocking time at Bethany Lake so Billy’s going back there for the easy pickings. But I haven’t seen Bully the Bullfrog since Billy’s visit, either.
We’re not allowed to discuss, at this juncture, if Billy Heron ever killed Bully the Bullfrog or any other frog. The Frog Court has sealed the records and issued a gag order against discussion of another pending case against the Heron, involving one of the Bully’s sidekicks.
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What have you noted in your area or travels? Any stealthy critters in your yard? Please post your observations and general location in your comments. I’ll check back later.
/s/ Redwoodman