Herons (at least the Great Blue ones out here) sound like Teradactyls! How many times have I nearly done the brown shorts boogie because one of these beautiful looking/hideous sounding birds swooped silently overhead in the dark, and let out their primitive "GRAAAWWWNCH!" (Nearly fell out of my boat the first dark night this happened...)
Not that being scared is always fun, but I do get a kick out of it (presuming I don't hurt myself!). My favorite time was one evening when I slipped out to do a little fishing off my pier on a moonless night. I've learned to minimize noise and light, so I very stealthily carried my gear down to the pier. I was just about to "assume the position", in my chair, with an ice cold can of "nerve medicine" and a baited line, when, out from under the pier thrashed a HUGE Heron, splashing water, and giving his trademark dinosaur sound! He'd been right UNDER my pier, and when he clued in to my presence, he took off with haste, and not a lot of love for me.
So much for being stealthy. My explosion of startled profanity, and goofy foot-shuffling, should-I-run-or-fight routine was at least as loud as the Heron's noise, and probably pretty amusing to the neighbors, too.
Frightened birds (and some politicians!) will "lighten their load", as they flee, leaving a trail behind. Cute in a hummingbird; disgusting in a Heron! (Especially when it's on the water you're about to fish in...)
Fortunately, my "nerve medicine" was doing its job that night, and after a few doses, things were back to normal, and the neighbor's lights finally went out!
