I have never seen the Patuxent River higher than it was the other day - without major rain being the cause. I think it was a spring tide caused by the alignment of that super moon we had last weekend and the sun. Another five inches and it would have been over the dock on which I often stand. It was up onto the road surface down at the bridge across Graham Creek which usually only happens in a major storm.
The high water left no beaches showing, but pushed up into the growth along the river banks. It didn't present any problem for this great blue heron, though. He knew where a log was suppose to be whether it was underwater or not and was able to take advantage of a fine place to fish. I lost count of how many fish I saw him catch. Probably on the order of twenty or more! Most looked like menhaden. I swear he was getting bigger as I watched. Ha!
Fish are naturally attracted to structure, as any fisherman knows. So the fish were coming in along the log and he would ambush them. Fish may even see a motionless GBH as some type of structure in the shade of which they can hide under normal circumstances. That would provide a definite advantage to have your shadow be a natural lure for attracting fish. As I watched it catch fish, I looked down into the water at my feet. I could, at most, see only a couple inches into the water at the submerged boulder rip rap along the bridge. You have to wonder, how is it they can see into the water so much better under those conditions? Remind me sometime and I'll tell you something I've noticed about the GBH's eyes.
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