Thursday, February 27, 2020

The heronry is open for business!

On January first Matty and I decided to explore the woods beside our house and see what was there. The woods lead into a protected green space we had never hiked, so we were excited to check out a new area. While walking the banks of a winding creek in a gorge, we stumbled across a small heronry. Was it active? We didn't know. We'd have to wait until late January or early February when male herons returned to their heronries to stake their claim. Rick and I hiked there several times through January to see if anything was happening, but the nests remained empty, until finally, at the beginning of February we started noticing herons flying low over our house! They had to be headed to the heronry! Last summer when we moved in, Big Blue would fly over our house every morning and evening. We assumed he was flying to Lake Isabella or the Little Miami River. Little did we know a secret heronry was his real destination! On Sunday Rick and I set out to see if the heronry was active...it was! We counted 19 herons. We avoided the creek because we didn't want to be under the heronry disturbing the birds (it's much further downstream and very hard to reach, not to mention dangerous!). Instead, we climbed up to a ridge that overlooks a small valley and the creek. The heronry is on the other side. We were really far away, but with a zoom lens and binocs, we could see the activity...

A male heron makes an early stake at a local heronry, his nuptial plumage visible in the fading light of evening.

We were there around 5:00 and the sun was sinking fast so silhouettes were all we could see, but that didn't matter.  It was so exciting knowing Great Blue Herons would be flying regularly over our house all spring and summer. 

A Great Blue Heron circles his nest preparing to land. Even the fading light
can't hide the lovely nuptial feathers silhouetted against the evening sky.



...settling in for the night.

Nuptial plumage...
Nuptial plumage or breeding plumage are the beautiful feathers birds sport on their head and neck during the mating season. Not all birds have nuptial plumage, but herons and egrets are famous for it. Click here for a link to a Little Blue Heron showing beautiful breeding plumage. (I photographed him on Pinckney Island in Hilton Head back in 2011).


At our previous house, we lived three miles from a huge Great Blue Heron heronry. Over the years I posted a lot about that heronry (starting in 2009). Click here for photos of that heronry in full swing! 

10 comments:

Kim Smith said...

Wow, Kelly, that's so awesome! Your new property sounds incredible. :)

Shirley said...

Hello, Kelly. It's me, Shirley Flanagan, of the Nature Place Journal. I like this entry on the Blue Heron you just sent out. May I please use the article and a few of the pictures for our April issue? It's great to have you back again telling us about your nature adventures.
Let me know at sunnyasalark@aol.com. Thank you. Our readers have enjoyed your articles I have had the pleasure of using in past issues.
Shirley Flanagan

Roy said...

Nice shots! The silhouettes are perfect. We have a heronry around here, just up the road, consisting of several dozen nests high in the trees by the area's major creek. I haven't seen signs of life there yet, but I'll be keeping a close eye on it this Spring now that I know where it is!

Midmarsh John said...

Great to see you back. What a lovely find. Stunning photos as always.

Roy Norris said...

Looking forward to updates on the Heronry and views of the offsprings Kelly.
Keep safe out there.

Guy said...

Hi Kelly

Nice post. We have Great Blue Herons visiting the slough at the cabin. They come for the salamanders, and seem to get a goodly number. We have never seen a Heronry there although we have seen several on visits to BC.

All the best
Guy

Ana Mínguez Corella said...

Hello!!!.Beautiful images .. Happy week

Appalachian Lady said...

I would love to see an update. I haven't seen a heronry around here in Virginia but I am sure they are here since I see a lot of herons.

Kelly said...

Hi AL....I need to post an update for the Heronry post....Rick and I went a few more times, but then the undergrowth got too heavy to traverse. The heronry was in full swing with all the birds on the nests. I might try to get back for one last view...it's deep in the woods (off trail...no trails back there), and once the undergrowth fills in, it's hard to navigate. All this rain isn't helping either! :-)

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