I found this rather large bird – it’s about 48cm tall – on our local pond, sandwiched between the bike path and the free way.
It’s an aggressive beast, and can often be found lording it over other birds from the heights of a reed patch. When something offends it in any way they start changing about in a madly aggressive fashion. Its favourite targets seem to be small children and smaller ducks.
Having said all that it’s a rather splendid looking bird and in bright light the blue of its feathers is something to be seen.
You can find more world birds here, and you can see the latest post on my other blog by clicking the Paying Ready Attention link on the RHS of the page.
Enjoy the birds.
Glad you are safely back again.
ReplyDeleteSwamp Hens also love killing whole broods of ducklings. They really are nasty pasties.
I am absolutely shattered at the death of Klaus. Apart from being a fantastic photographer he was also always helpful it one had a problem. Klaus was two years younger than my daughter which somehow makes it even sadder.
what a cool looking bird! but i could do without the pillaging and plundering it does! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting bird with that red plate on its head. It looks similar to the purple gallinule here in the States and similar to our Common Moorhen which was just recently re-named and reclassified as a common gallinule. I suppose your bird and ours are in the same family if I bothered to look it up. Nice shots and thanks for visiting my sycamore Canyon birds blog. I need to add new posts to it. I moved away from there shortly after starting to it but I still have a treasure trove of photos from the 3 years I lived there. Nice Post and nice shots.
ReplyDeleteGreat sighting of yoru Lord of the marsh. It is a cool looking bird and reminds me of the Common Moorhen I see here.
ReplyDeleteLovely images Stewart... a great bird to see.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a real softie so thanks for the info.
Lovely shots! We've seen a bird called a gallinule that must be a cousin of this bird! It's interesting the way you said it was another blue-bird. Last year (not for this meme) I put a post up with a picture of a scrub Jay and said how pretty and blue it was and at least one commenter said what a lovely bluebird it was. No -- it is a blue bird, not a bluebird. Confusing I guess.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a right bully Stewart; but I like him :-)
ReplyDeleteHe is aggressive,but still handsome. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeleteAnother new bird for me:) Good photos of him to!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day!
mmm...sounds like he's a bit of bully! But a pretty one!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a big Swamphen Stewart! You got some nice shots of it there!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, Stewart, and I love the its color in the light.
ReplyDeleteFascinating bird:)
ReplyDeleteGood shots!!!
ReplyDeleteWhy are critters named "purple" when they are blue???
ReplyDeleteGoodness...this is one aggressive but cool bird!
Lovely colors!
ReplyDeleteExcellent post Stewart. I hope your readers are clicking to enlarge these beauties. I can not get over the feet on these birds. Its like nothing I have ever seen. They look powerful indeed. The reeds make a beautiful back drop too. Cheers to you Sir!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful images of this "queen of the swamp". She looks the part!
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