Bird Word: The Heron and the Octopus

Last Saturday morning I went for a quick walk around the Bolsa Chica wetlands area to catch sight of one of the Burrowing Owls that are now in residence. (See photo from the previous weekend). What a treat to see these little guys! They stand a resolute watch during the daytime hours, poking their head out of the hole they've sequestered, casting an occasional annoyed glance at the squirrels and rabbits that scurry nearby.

But on this particular walk, I didn't bring my camera, and so was not able to capture the spectacle of seeing a Great Blue Heron snagging a small octopus, shaking it like crazy (it seemed to want to break off a tentacle and eat it like a snack), repeatedly throwing it down into the shallows and grabbing it again with its great beak. My profuse apologies for not having a photo. I mean, it's like talking about a Russian meteorite without seeing a video! I hang my head in shame. OK, I'm over it.

The lesson is: These are some of the wonders that are happening constantly within our little coastal area in and around Belmont Shore - keep your eyes open!

Editor's Note: Despite Mike forgetting his camera, we really appreciate him sharing his sightings. We found some file art of Great Blue Herons.