Coexistence from Heron Out

            Over the past weeks I have spent a great deal of time at Schumaker pond observing wildlife but in particular the great blue heron. The great blue heron is a magnificent bird and widely regarded as an unofficial symbol of the eastern shore. According to local writer Tom Horton, “Not one of our 50 states claims the great blue heron as its official bird - but most could, without apology. Regally-plumed, strikingly colored and standing four feet high, it is among the most noticeable and ubiquitous of North American wading birds” (Horton 1999).  While there is no surprise behind humans being captivated by these magnificent creatures, one could also claim their beauty is a curse.  People have inhabited the heron’s hunting ground for the past 200 years, but never in its current magnitude. We humans have been so captivated by their beauty that we have decided to observe them The closest distance possible. The Ward Museum was built to observe these beautiful creatures in 1992 coexisting in a suburban environment. The heron prefers the marsh like environment that the town of Salisbury is nestled on. According to David Sibley “the Herons forages in many types of environments ranging from streams, ponds, and lakes to large masses of land near cities” (Sibley2003)

            We have constructed a constantly expanding society with many benefits, but also many flaws. For example we have lost touch with the natural world. It’s now a rare sight for man and nature to coexist peacefully, if the animal is not domesticated. However birds may be the exception to this bold claim. As the weeks rolled by and the leaves started to change colors at the pond, one thing remained constant; the birds. But more specifically, the heron. I will be the first to admit that the heron is a very hard bird to track and observe. Its manner of coexisting with humanity is a complicated one. My first observations were focused on the beauty of this beautiful bird, but as time went on I realized there was so much more to this creature than its aesthetics. This bird represents a dwindling bond connecting humanity and the natural world.

            The Great blue heron typically does not migrate south for the winter. So the question here is: Why has this bird picked Schumaker pond as a nesting and hunting ground? Schumaker is located in the middle of a housing development in the city of Salisbury. However, as soon as I step foot onto the lush bouncy pine needles that cover the the park, I feel as if I have landed on a different planet. The park hugs the shore line of the pond, and the swampy demeanor of the pond seems to spread through the lush vegetation separating the park and the water. This would seem like an ideal place for a Heron to call home, however there is a large abundance of human dwellings touching the boarders of the park. To make matters even more confusing, there is also a frisbee golf course right off of the pond shore line. I have to question why the great blue heron has picked this heavily congested area to live in. On the other hand one could also ask why we humans have decided to live on a pond. The park seems to act as a medium where Herons and people can coexist. The pavement separating the park’s lush soft ground from the homes surrounding it is literally keeping the two worlds at bay. The heron calls the shoreline home, yet it ventures off towards the disc golf course, seemingly curious about the neighboring world known as suburbia. 

            I believe we have more in common with the heron than most people might suspect. The pond brought together people and herons to be nourished by its many redeeming qualities. For example, the pond provides food, shelter, and water for the herons. But what does it offer us? It allows us to observe water fowl, provides room for recreation, and many more activities that humans enjoy. But even more importantly, Schumaker offers us humans something that we have been interested in for as long as time can tell; and that is mystery. We look into the murky waters of Schumaker and wonder what exactly is out there? How many living organisms  are there? Is there life we have yet to discover? These are all questions humans often have regarding a natural body of water. I believe that the fact that we cannot see everything is what draws us to water in the first place. That is why we have decided to live on the banks of the pond. But why has the Heron decided to stay?

            Typically birds fly away when confronted by humans. This may be understandable due to the fact the fact that we have hunted them for as long as humans have trod the earth. Yet the Great blue heron has ignored this fact and willingly decided to live side by side with humans. However I believe that herons have chosen Schumaker based on what they know lives there. And this leads to a paradox: In essence humans are drawn to the pond due to their lack of knowledge concerning it, and herons are drawn due to their abundance of knowledge. The reason why this is the case is because we use Schumaker differently. Humans often use Schumaker as the location for building homes nearby and the pond itself for recreation, whereas the heron uses it for survival. Strangely enough it is our differences that draw us to the same place. We have manipulated the surrounding aspects of the pond but we haven't significantly manipulated the actual pond[1] . The Heron uses the pond more than it uses the banks surrounding it whereas humans do the complete opposite. However the heron does make use of the shore banks just at different times, such as times with low human activity. This slight separation allows us to use the same area for different desired goals. The pond does have a mysterious demeanor to it, but this does not infringe on the hunting habits of the heron.

            Herons can rarely be seen interacting with people, whereas Canada geese gladly walk right up to your picnic table and steal your sandwich. Geese share the pond with the herons but they manifest very different behavior towards people. The heron has decided to live at this pond for a specific reason, because it can sustain life. When humans decided sustaining life alone wasn't enough, our separation from the natural world began. The desire to live evolved into one to out-compete native species in order to thrive in any environment we choose. Humans usually end up pushing out any species that refuses to leave of its own accord, however we have learned to coexist with birds. My theory behind this is because birds, especially water fowl, spend a good amount of time in places where people cannot go without the aid of technology. For example the Heron can fly and swim, however it uses its long legs to stand in shallow waters to find fish that may swim by. Is this the unifying factor that has allowed us to live in harmony or is this a mere coincidence?

            I was lucky enough to witness the beautiful launch and flight of the heron. When it took off, its wings seemed to almost dip towards the water as a skimmer would while they are hunting. The wingspan was amazing, and the blue and white feathers accented the beauty of this bird.  I was in awe when I watched this bird take flight for the first time. He seemed to slowly build up speed until his wings were fully extended maximizing the amount of air that rushes over them. I also noticed unlike small birds, the Heron has a very smooth flight pattern, rather than the quick jerking motions of sparrows and grackles. I believe that their beauty is yet another factor that unifies humanity with the heron. Humans are more likely to coexist with animals that have are striking visually. Animals such as squirrels are the perfect example. There are very minute differences between a squirrel and a rat. They are both small rodents that coexist with people. However the rat has a less visually appealing tale compared to a squirrel. Squirrels have a visually pleasing tale and in turn aren’t regarded to as “pests”.  If a squirrel suddenly was less furry and grew a long pink tail, I wonder whether it might not become an outcast too.

            The heron’s beauty might be the key to understanding how they have managed to thrive in a densely populated area. Schumaker allows the heron to thrive due to the abundance of fish. If the fish were to disappear the Herons would too. If we wanted to rid Schumaker of all water fowl, it would be a lot easier than we think. But the point is that we have allowed them to thrive in this area for many reasons. One reason may be purely on self-interest; for example we have built the Ward Museum in order to observe waterfowl in their natural environment. This goal is strictly beneficial to humans. In fact, the herons are quite indifferent even to the fact that the museum was built to celebrate human love of waterfowl.  The only response to this paradox would be to observe that humans choose not to hunt at Schumaker thus benefiting waterfowl populations. Another reason might be due to the spiritual connection humans have with wildlife. We often view ourselves as the dominant species, which in turn leads us to feel empathy towards other “lesser” species.

            My time at Schumaker has really changed my outlook on waterfowl but more specifically the Great blue heron. I have acquired a keen ability to spot this beautiful bird from far distances. I know the sound it makes while perched on its favorite log, but I do not know why it chooses to live along side the most destructive species on the planet, commonly known as humans. If natural history teaches me anything, it teaches me how to be patient. Through patience come beautiful observations. I have been lucky enough to witness the Great Blue heron on numerous occasions. Through all of my observations I still do not understand this birds reasons in choosing to live along side humans. Time and time again, we have proven why we are the most destructive species in existence, yet this does not scare away the heron.

- Rohan Raju