Bird or cat?

Watching this yellow-crowned night heron I was reminded not of a bird foraging for a meal but of a cat patiently stalking its prey. It was amazing. The heron spotted a crab and quickly advanced on it, then stopped and stood there without moving a feather as it eyed its potential meal. It advanced slowly, stealthily upon the crab very cat-and-mouse like! Like a mouse, though, the crab escaped down its hole and out of reach. No meal this time.

I have yet to figure out why these large birds, about two feet tall, are called night herons. I've seen them morning and afternoon, though rarely at midday. Apparently the yellow-crowned heron is less common than its cousin the black-crowned night heron so I'm aware of the privilege of being able to enjoy watching this statuesque, thick-billed heron along our coast. Though it stalks its prey like a cat it says quark instead of meow.