This Little Blue Heron is quite relaxed while searching for crawfish in the shallow areas in alligator alley on Horsepen Bayou. It’s the same bird that appeared in the background with the two amorous alligators.

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A young Little Blue Heron tries to hide in the branches of this old dead tree on Horsepen Bayou. It is in the process from changing from the white feathers that is carries as a juvenile to steel blue colors that it will carry as an adult. The feathers on the head will also change to a dark plum color. They are a striking bird no matter what stage they are in.

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These juvenile Little Blue Herons seem to be one of the few birds that enjoy the water hyacinth. They stumble around through the thick matt of drifting green plague and pick the spiders and bugs that hang out in the mess. Mom was nearby keeping an eye on junior and I’ll get to her later. Photo was taken on Horsepen Bayou.

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I suspect that this was momma Little Blue Heron keeping a watchful eye of junior as he/she stumbled around through the water hyacinth. When I got too close, she lit out over the hyacinth and junior left a few seconds later and followed her off into the distance. Little Blue Heron captured on Horsepen Bayou.

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I am not a bird expert and so these are just my observations. The Little Blue Herons tend to hunt for the crawfish that are on the banks of the bayou and with the tides running unusually high on this day, this Little Blue Heron was simply biding his time. He was also waiting for that pesky clown in the canoe to go find something else to photograph. Photo taken on Horsepen Bayou.

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Tags:   WanaM3 Nikon D7100 Nikon D7100 Texas Pasadena Clear Lake City Horsepen Bayou bayou outdoors nature wildlife canoeing paddling animal bird heron Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea

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