Young Herons

A warm July morning promises a hot day at the beaver pond.



Four young blue herons sit in the full sun panting. Since they cannot fly yet, they are wholely dependent on the food which their parents bring them. Like dogs, birds do not sweat, but cool themselves by panting - which is just a different way to evaporate water - and thus cool a warm body. I imagine these birds get thirsty in hot weather. I suspect the parents bring additional water to them on days like this. Like many birds, they feed their young by regurgitating food into their bills.

Beavers are a so-called keystone species, for they create critical habitat for many other animals. When the beavers dammed this creek, it flooded a broad area and killed many trees, some of which became secure nesting sites for Great Blue Herons, as well as woodpeckers, tree swallows, etc. The pond became a home for fish, frogs, muskrat, etc.

I don't imagine the nest is particularly clean, but when they reach this size they know to poop over the side of the nest. Soon they will begin exercising their wings and climbing out on the branches.

Evolutionists consider the dragonfly a "primitive" insect form. Yeah, right. Watch one fly for a few minutes and tell me how primitive they are. If you can't see perfect design in a dragonfly you never will.