Another heron

It's been a cloudy day followed by a grey evening, which deepens the shades of green along the river. After sitting on the seat in the park by the reinstalled, floating boat launch dock, and watching the fluff from the poplar trees drift by, we walked along the bank a little way and passed very close to where a heron was patiently waiting for fish. We'd previously seen the bird land on the branch of a riverside tree, flying low across the water and gliding into the tree very gracefully. It stood very still as we came close, perhaps feeling that if it didn't move, we wouldn't notice it. There was a mother duck, further along, with five ducklings. I'm afraid one of the ducklings might become the heron's supper, one of these days. Long and thin though the heron's neck is, it can easily swallow a duckling whole.

Mist rising, with herons

We went for a walk to the Rideau Falls after heavy rainshowers, this evening, and saw mist rising from the Quebec side of the Ottawa River, near the bank. It looked mysteriously beautiful, although something should be done a.s.a.p. about the dilapidated and defaced concrete walls around and below the falls.

Seagulls and ducks were swooping overhead as usual and another bird glided onto the cliffs, that wasn't the right shape for a seagull. I think I have now identified it as a Black Crowned Night Heron (as pictured here, courtesy of the Wikipedia). In fact there was a pair of them.

 We also saw the more familiar kind of herons (the Great Blue) flying over the bridge and perching on the embankments. Ducklings and goslings on Green Island were being taken good care of by their parents.