Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodius

Size: 42-52"

Habitat: in and around water

Notes:
These large and majestic birds may be seen wading in the shallows, hunting fish and frogs. They are not as uncommon as you might think but watch from a distance as they do not like to be approached.



Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron

Similar but smaller all-white egrets are actually quite common. Night Herons, smaller and usually dark green or brown, prowl around boat docks and tidal flats in the dark.

White Egret
White Egret
Night Heron
Night Heron ( the neck is long, but this is normally not evident. )

These crabs have the last pair of legs modified into paddles, with which they are remarkably fast and agile sideways swimmers. Apart from this, they retain the walking and burrowing abilities of other crabs. Swimming crabs are bad-tempered creatures that aggressively defend themselves. Large ones can pinch very painfully, so handle with care!

Blue Crab ( Blue-claw )

Blue Crab

Callinectes sapidus

Profile by Bill Figley
and Ray Townsend

Size:
to 9" across

Range:
Cape Cod to Texas

Habitat:
Bays and estuaries, sometimes found in freshwater, spend their winters in the mud.