Had a magical wildlife encounter today when this White-faced heron, matuku moana followed me home from my dog walk and hung out on our deck for half an hour, pretty much within armās reach. It lives at the lakes about 400 metres away.
@Miraz Wow!! What a gorgeous bird, and such plumage. Sounds like a treat, thanks for sharing these, and the link. I imagine theyāre fun to watch at the lake.
@Miraz What a magnificent bird! Always feels a privilege when a wild animal lets you get so close like that.
@philly I think Iāve only ever seen one at once ā the same or different birds at different times I donāt know. Weāre so lucky to have so many wonderful birds around here. Others Iāve seen have been much more timid.
@odd What a great experience as you grew up. I see StjĆørdal is near Trondheim. Many decades ago I passed through Trondheim when I was taking the train as far north as that line would go. (To a place whose name escapes me at the moment.)
@adoran2 The herons usually fly off if you get too close. This one chose to come to me. Just astonishing!
@Miraz It was! š
Ha, I didnāt know that you had been in my part of the world! The trainline that goes northward from Trondheim is called āNordlandsbanenā, and it go to BodĆø, which is the end station. Then you must have either had a stop at, or passed through Hell station, which is only 3 km from where I lived.
@odd Ahhh, found it ā I went by train to BodĆø. From memory spent the day there. Donāt know if I stayed overnight ā in those days Iād often sleep on the train while travelling on a Eurail pass.
@Miraz If it was in 1973 or later, thereās a slight chance that weāve actually been on the same train! š
@Miraz That was the month that I turned seven. I lived in Hommelvik, about 10km southwest of StjĆørdal back then. It happened that my mother and I took the train to StjĆørdal or Trondheim from there. I have been to BodĆø once, but that was in 1996.
@odd I just went and found my photos from the trip, but itās evening now and the lights wonāt help. Tomorrow in the daylight I think Iāll take photos of the prints and post them. Theyāre pretty terrible, but stillā¦ A bit of a blast from the past.
@Miraz Thatās a beautiful visit indeed - and a heron! In my experience they are such shy birds. I had a Canada goose befriend me one summer (2009). She showed up near my cabin then followed me to my outhouse then up the 2 steps right behind me. I was astonished. I sat down to do my business and she pivoted at the door to face outwards and plopped her feathery little butt on my foot. I couldnāt believe it. She flew off every night and returned first thing every morning. She flew off one evening in the fall and Iāve never seen her again.
These encounters are special.
@pimoore Thatās right, Peter. The Arctic Circle goes through Saltfjellet, (Salt Mountain). I was there when I was 8, havenāt been since.
