Re: What is this bird?
[Re: Gary Benson]
#7004565
09/30/20 09:43 AM
09/30/20 09:43 AM
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,101 Northern Michigan
J.Morse
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,101
Northern Michigan
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Yep, Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). My mother always called them a Shitepoke too. *hit-stringer was a common nickname here as well. As Warrior stated, Florida does, indeed, have a white version called, aptly, a Great White Heron. They are most common around Florida Bay in the Everglades. When I was a younger fellow they were considered a separate specie, now those bird nerds say they are simply a color morph of a regular Great Blue.
About 15 years ago the All Purpose Boy and I were bowfishing one of the canals off Houghton Lake, not far from home. We saw a Great Blue Heron struggling along shore a short ways ahead of us. As we got up to the poor beast we found it was fighting to escape from a good sized snapping turtle. The turtle had it square by the Taint. My boy reached in a grabbed the turtle by the tail, and when he lifted it from the water it was left with a mouth full of taint feathers and the heron crawled weakly off into the bushes. That bird wouldn't have survived had we not come along. I sorta felt sorry for the turtle as well.
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Re: What is this bird?
[Re: Wanna Be]
#7004589
09/30/20 10:18 AM
09/30/20 10:18 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 19,932 SEPA
Lugnut
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 19,932
SEPA
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That’s just one of a catfish farmers worst nightmares. Any pond owner too. I've had trouble with them for many years. Folks might be surprised how big of a fish they can eat.
Eh...wot?
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Re: What is this bird?
[Re: Gary Benson]
#7004596
09/30/20 10:32 AM
09/30/20 10:32 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 15,594 MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
Trapper7
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 15,594
MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
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My cousin used to call them "Slough Pumpers". It's definitely a Blue Heron.
I don't care how nice the hand soap smells, you should never walk out of the restroom sniffing your fingers.
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Re: What is this bird?
[Re: Lugnut]
#7004780
09/30/20 02:24 PM
09/30/20 02:24 PM
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,791 IA
teepee2
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,791
IA
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That’s just one of a catfish farmers worst nightmares. Any pond owner too. I've had trouble with them for many years. Folks might be surprised how big of a fish they can eat. I seen one eat a soft-shell turtle one time it, looked like a dinner plate going down that long skinny neck.
Last edited by teepee2; 09/30/20 02:25 PM.
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Re: What is this bird?
[Re: Gary Benson]
#7004795
09/30/20 02:51 PM
09/30/20 02:51 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 19,932 SEPA
Lugnut
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 19,932
SEPA
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They about cleaned out the panfish and crappie bass in my smaller pond. They eat the frogs too. I send the dogs after them when I see them.
Eh...wot?
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Re: What is this bird?
[Re: Paul Dobbins]
#7004861
09/30/20 04:40 PM
09/30/20 04:40 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,517 Nebraska
Trapset
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,517
Nebraska
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You have to be really careful releasing them from a beaver snare. That beak is wicked. #1ls as well. Who’d a thought that would hold one of those. I almost lost an eye. Turns out there’s a difference between cowering, and coiling! Lmao
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Re: What is this bird?
[Re: Trapset]
#7004946
09/30/20 07:00 PM
09/30/20 07:00 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,366 New York border
Cragar
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,366
New York border
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You have to be really careful releasing them from a beaver snare. That beak is wicked. #1ls as well. Who’d a thought that would hold one of those. I almost lost an eye. Turns out there’s a difference between cowering, and coiling! Lmao Be aware , yes the beak is a good weapon but the aim is what gets you. They instinctively go for your eyes. To blind you or at least mess up your vision is a very effective strategy. I had to remove one GBH coiled up in fishing line 5ft above the water as I was assisting a game officer. First thing I grabbed was it's upper neck to control it. Safety glasses or a face shield would be a good thing to wear getting near one like I did.
NRA benefactor member
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Re: What is this bird?
[Re: cohunt]
#7005005
09/30/20 07:55 PM
09/30/20 07:55 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
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trapper
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Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
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Never heard anyone ever call a heron a shite poke. That is a common name for the least bittern or slough pump. Lol most of Maine does.
Nevada bound
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Re: What is this bird?
[Re: Gary Benson]
#7005159
09/30/20 10:53 PM
09/30/20 10:53 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 6,683 Newark, Ohio 83 years
Actor
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 6,683
Newark, Ohio 83 years
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Great Blue Heron ... in Ohio we always called the Bittern a Shite Poke...
Garry-
“Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.”
Have been trapping 77 years…
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Re: What is this bird?
[Re: Gary Benson]
#7005226
10/01/20 05:44 AM
10/01/20 05:44 AM
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 2,575 NH
trapNH
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 2,575
NH
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Re: What is this bird?
[Re: Gary Benson]
#7005476
10/01/20 11:57 AM
10/01/20 11:57 AM
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 1,661 Iowa
CTRAPS
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 1,661
Iowa
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My Grandpa used to call them "Cream S...ers" because he said when they took off, they would drop a quart of cream.
We used to use a Heron decoy when duck hunting in the marsh. It was used as a confidence decoy as a heron is usually one of the first things to take off when they see something they don't like. If they are still around, other birds seem to think everything is ok.
Life Member: ITA, IBA & NRA. Member of SA, FTA & NTA
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