Heron Haven

[w8ing]

I made my first visit to Heron Haven today.  It's just south of the Knolls golf course, 120th & Maple.  I didn't see any herons today but it was a lovely walk through the wetland habitat and there's also a butterfly garden created by the Ivy League Garden Club. The trees are so dense on the paths it forms a breezy canopy.  

There were a LOT of turtles in the water.  Who says they're slow? This one was kicking up the mud in its wake.





You can see this walkway from West Maple Rd.






The butterfly garden

[w8ing]

I went back to Heron Haven last night and saw my first heron.  At one of the viewing spots, they have a shelter built with large openings to watch the wildlife. There's also benches where you can sit and watch.  The shelter somewhat shields the wildlife from noticing observers so it's great for photographing them.  

Green Heron


Masked Bandit


Northern Cardinal


Flame Skimmer


Chipping Sparrow

[w8ing]

More from Heron Haven.   BTW, if you're a geocacher, there's one out there.

Hummingbird moth



Wood ducks




Green heron - probably the same one I saw the other day



Great blue heron





Eastern Swallowtail caterpillar on a dill plant

[Brad]

Nice Pics W8ing.

Since this is about a 2 min drive from my house or a nice bike ride away, I need to get down there.

[nativeomahan]

These are award winning quality photographs.  Thanks for sharing!

[Coyote]

You have a great eye w8ing!

[w8ing]

Danke.  The herons are avoiding me the last few visits though!

[nebugeater]

Man, every time I see this thread title it take me a bit to not miss-read it and think it is some great place to go buy an illegal substance!

[w8ing]

Man, every time I see this thread title it take me a bit to not miss-read it and think it is some great place to go buy an illegal substance!

HAHAHAH

[nebport5]

Danke.  The herons are avoiding me the last few visits though!

what time of day are you going?  birds are most active in early morning followed by early evening.  also the herons could be feeding elsewhere and just rooting there or vice versa.

[w8ing]

what time of day are you going?  birds are most active in early morning followed by early evening.  also the herons could be feeding elsewhere and just rooting there or vice versa.

It's been evening and late morning of late.  I guess the times I have seen them were earlier in the evening.   It's on my way to work, maybe I'll have to leave early and check it out then sometime.  Plus it won't be 98 degrees then.

[w8ing]

A bale of turtles

The green heron returns


Foxes


Swamp milkweed

[Coyote]

Those are great shots w8ing!!!
What time of day are those?
I need to get out there.

[w8ing]

Thanks.  All those were from last night and tonight between about 7 and 8.   I'm going to see what I can find before work sometime.

[w8ing]

I went out to Heron Haven after the rain this afternoon.  There were lots of critters out and about but most were too skittish for me to get a picture of like the deer and ducks and several birds.  

Pandora Sphinx - exactly how it looked, straight off the camera. I'm very happy with this shot.


American Bullfrog - I wish I could have gotten a better pic but he jumped away soon as I snapped this one.


Blue Dasher


Monarch

[Brad]

Great Pictures w8ing,  I love that frog!

[w8ing]

You should have heard him. I followed his croaks to find him.  Amazing how much activity there was there after a rain. I supposed that's like a party for wetland creatures.

[SaOmaha]

I have lived in Omaha for most of my life and was unaware of this intercity wetland preserve, Heron Haven, at 120th & Old Maple road.  The pictures in this thread encouraged me to check out this wildlife sanctuary in the city.  On first visit, last Saturday, I saw almost no wildlife (I may not be looking in the right places) but found some interesting wild flowers.

First I Stopped at The Visitor Center.    


Inside, A model of Heron Haven by the Creighton Prep Heron Haven Team, an Society of American Military engineers Student mentoring Program 2003 project. One suggested improvement is noise wall along Maple Street (wishful thinking, but this would give Heron Haven an illusion of being in the middle of a large wilderness)  


... Another suggestion is a path extension along the 'creek' to northeast.


Interesting flower I found on the way to Boardwalk


A friend observing marsh water life at the end of Boardwalk  


A viewpoint over the marsh on the Boardwalk to the visitor center


A moth rests on a Purple Flower at the far end of the Boardwalk.


A view of marsh from the photographer’s blind


View of marsh on the way back.
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[AroundOmaha]

I wandered through there, but it was late in the year and it was COLD. This was the only shot I took that I liked that day.

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[Brad]

Nice Depth of field AO!

[w8ing]

Heron Haven's Fall Festival was today.  There were lots of people there. They had wildlife encounters and several displays set up.  These are some pics I took today.

Dragonfly


Stink bug on sumac


Albino python


A type of fox



Here's some pics from the last week there.

Canada goose and turtle


Red-bellied woodpecker


Locust borer beetle


Dried up flower masquerading as a witch

[Coyote]

Hidden Gems: Heron Haven also quiet refuge for humans

“Heron Haven is a true hidden gem. Hidden from both 120th Street and West Maple Road, it is a natural wetland right in the middle of the city, totally unknown even to many longtime residents.

“The place is easily accessible, uncrowded and a really wonderful, quiet, secluded area for nature lovers.”

[Brad]

Heron Haven sanctuary a sign that Omahan won the fight she picked with developers

http://www.omaha.com/outdoors/hansen-he ... ko.twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Werthman had heard that a wetlands area, once an oxbow of the Big Papillion Creek, was poised to become a 168-unit apartment complex. She visited the site near 120th Street and West Maple Road and saw the two lakes on the property. She saw the blue herons and dozens of other birds, as well as trees, plants and Nebraska grasses that had grown undisturbed in the wetlands for eons. She decided to do something.

[Coyote]

I can't believe how many people I take here who have no idea it exists, even though they live clos by and drive past it every day. Glad to see Ms Worthman getting her due props.

[Louie]

Well, dang, I just learned of this place right now and I live no more than 2 miles from it.

[bbtran72]

I have stopped there 3-4 times since it is near my cousin's apartment in the vanderbilt area, not once have i seen a heron there lol it's a cool place though and ever would have known about it if my cousin didn't tell me about it.