Friday, April 24 - Nature Break

Hey Vikings and Friends,

Last night my family went for a walk through the neighborhood. We were walking past a house with towering oak trees when my youngest daughter saw a huge, long-legged bird fly into the canopy. We looked where she was pointing, and sure enough, there was a very large, strange looking bird perched in the tree. He wasn't particularly making it easy for us to observe him, but his movements were very different from mockingbirds and blue jays. Eventually a squirrel, intent on his own business, passed by very close to the gangly bird. Neither one seemed alarmed by the other's presence. The bird actually moved back a little to make way for the squirrel. We had almost given up on trying to identify the bird when he suddenly flew to a closer tree and we got a good look at him. It was a great blue heron, a waterbird. I was astounded.

I did some research online, and while I'm not the only bird watcher surprised to see a heron in a tree, many of them actually roost in trees, so the sight is not that uncommon. But it certainly was an unforgettable experience!

So, for today's nature break, I encourage you to look up into the trees while you're outside. It's definitely harder to see birds and squirrels with all the new spring leaves, but it's worthwhile!!

Happy Adventuring!

-Mrs. Breclaw