Shenzhen Honghu Park is so beautiful---Fish and Heron Chapter (2)

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Honghu Park not only has beautiful lotus flowers but also numerous herons. I met a father and son walking in the park by the bridge. The son was three or four years old. The son pointed at the heron in the distance and asked his father what it was. Dad didn’t know, so he answered him that birds in the water are generally called water birds. Although I know little egrets and pond herons, I’m not sure about the guy in front of me with brown wings and gray patterns on his neck. I have been researching information and asking experts in the past few days, and I have a preliminary understanding.

There are also pond herons in school, mainly on the island in the middle of the lake. The first thing that aroused my interest in photographing birds was the pond heron. It often walks by the water. The feathers on its chest and back are bright reddish brown and it is slightly taller. They are large and attract more attention, but some of the pond herons in the school are more alert. I saw them from a distance many times and quickly ran away when I tried to get closer. The pond herons in Honghu Park are not too afraid of people, which really made me enjoy taking pictures. .

What I have been struggling with these days is the herons with different colored feathers. Are they the same species? The answer is yes, it's the same species of pond heron. Pond Heron (scientific name: Ardeola bacchus, English name: Chinese Pond Heron) is a bird of the genus Pond Heron in the family Heronidae. Its Chinese common names are: Red-haired Heron, Chinese Pond Heron, Red-headed Heron, Sand Heron, Swamp Heron (Taiwan), Field Snail Heron , Wearing a vest, Tian Niuhan (Hainan), Hualu (Yunnan), Huawazi (Northeast), wild chicken. It is a typical wading bird (birds that live in ponds and swamps near water). The pond heron has a pointed beak, a long neck, a well-proportioned body, and a graceful walk. When disturbed, it will quickly hide in a nearby tree. There are several stages of pond heron, pond heron sub-adult, pond heron (adult in non-breeding plumage), and pond heron (adult in breeding plumage). Sub-adult birds generally refer to a stage (period) of individual development of bird species that cannot reach sexual maturity one year after birth or within one year. Sub-adult birds of pond herons are slightly smaller in size, with body feathers, breast and throat. The head is white, the head and neck have dark brown stripes, and the back feathers are light brown. Feet yellow. The non-breeding plumage of the pond heron's sub-adults and adults look very similar, but the difference lies in the different stages of development and size. The pond heron (adult breeding plumage) has white body feathers on the chest and throat. During breeding, the head and neck are chestnut red, and the back feathers are purple-black. Comparing the first three pictures with the last two pictures, the color of the pond heron is completely different in different periods.

Pond herons like to live in the shallow waters of swamps, rice fields, fish ponds, lakes and rivers, wading in the water to look for food, and inhabit the branches of bamboo forests and woods. Sometimes they move in small groups of three or five. , but each one keeps a proper distance. Mainly distributed in Bangladesh, China, and Southeast Asia.

The place where the little egret stands must be a geomantic treasure. Just now, the pond egret was standing here and allowed me to take pictures from all angles. Little Egret (scientific name: Egretta garzetta): 52-68 cm in length, it is a medium-sized wading bird. Its beak and legs are black and slender, and its body feathers are white. Like the pond heron, it likes to forage by the water and likes to eat small fish and shrimps. During the reproductive period, there are two long feathers on the occiput, and one long feather is seen behind the head of this little egret. The little egret is listed in Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and is listed in the LC (low risk) level of the World Conservation Union.

Honghu Park is a paradise for children. Many children catch fish here. There are many small fish and shrimps here. There is a fishing net and a small fish tank. The children can play for a long time and catch the fish. This sense of achievement and happiness can only be felt by experiencing it personally. Today's children usually have a full schedule, and they can only play happily for a day during holidays. Sometimes I really want to let them play happily, without scruples, with fewer restrictions, and grow up Only in memories will there be the happiness of childhood.