I guess I never get my warbler stories finished, too many new things happen in the great outdoors these days… ;-) Jenny, the naturalist from the County Conservation Board, gave me the hint last Sunday to check out the nature area of Finley’s Landing, a popular beach, boat launch, campsite, and marina at the Mississippi River. I have been at the beach before but didn’t really know that there was a nature preserve adjacent to the marina and campsite. Nobody was at the campsite and the marina this evening and I had it all for myself, ideal for wildlife photography. Pretty soon I saw a Belted Kingfisher, a couple muskrats, several dragonflies, and I watched a raccoon crossing a creek on a fallen tree. As I was about to leave, a bird flew under one of the boat docks. My excitement grew when I realized that it was a Green Heron. I have made pictures of this bird before but still didn’t have a shot that I really liked. They are not uncommon here along the Mississippi but we don’t see them as much as the Great Blue Heron. I just read that the Green Heron is one of the few tool-using birds that sometimes drop bait onto the surface of the water and go for the small fish that might be attracted. I didn’t see this kind of behavior today but I thought it is an interesting fact that I will pay more attention too the next time I see a Green Heron hunting for fish.