A young great blue heron caught an early flight home after spending time in rehab on Vancouver Island.
The fledgling heron was released at Powell River Recreation Complex on Saturday, July 12, after returning from its stay at BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (ARC) in Metchosin.
Merrilee Prior, known locally as the bird lady, helped rescue the heron from the upper parking lot at the recreation centre on June 17. Initially, it was reported that the bird was injured, but when Prior arrived, she found the heron, despite falling out of its nest, to be in good health.
She said, with the bird on the ground, the biggest concern was that it would be eaten by a predator like a raccoon if left alone. “It was a warm day, and the mother actually flew into the pool looking for it,” said Prior.
Prior said that the principal reason the bird was sent to Wild ARC was that she does not have space to care for herons at her aviary.
The bird learned how to fish and fly there, she said, adding it was quite young when it was picked up.
Once it was ready to fly, staff at the rehabilitation centre had the bird sent home to be released.
“It was a beautiful release,” said Prior. “It was amazing to watch it lift off and fly away like it had done it forever.”
Betty Zaikow, who was there for the release, said it was amazing to watch the bird with its distinct colouring gain its freedom.
“At first it didn’t want to come out after Merrilee opened the cage, but then it did and it hopped out and flew off,” said Zaikow. “It was wonderful to witness.”
Zaikow said she thought that the bird was from the colony of herons that nest near McGuffie Creek next to the complex, perhaps even the nest that was saved by environmentalists in 2010 after the City of Powell River began clearing trees in the area to build an athletic track.
Great blue herons, Ardea herodias fannini, are blue-listed, which means they are considered vulnerable because of human activities, especially urban and rural development. Nests are protected by the provincial Wildlife Act.
The clearing of the trees was halted after two nests were discovered.
Wildlife biologist Luke Halpin, who is currently studying heron populations on the Sunshine Coast, said he has looked at one nest on the edge of the clear-cut area at the complex. The nest was not in very good condition and Halpin could not find anything underneath the nest to suggest that it was currently being used, he said.
Despite that, there may be other nests, yet undiscovered, from the colony in the area, he said.
“There could be another nest near by, but I was not able to locate it,” he added. “Sometimes it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
