Watching Great Blue Herons
6 July 2020
For the last few months, I've regularly visited the Tracy Brook Wildlife Sanctuary. As a result, I've been able to track particular nests. Here's a sequence, mostly of one nest, of two chicks from conception to about ready to fledge.
Great blue heron
Here is a shot of two great blue
herons
mating, on
April 12. Note the shape of the trunk of the tree.
April 12, 2020
1/250, f/8.0, ISO 200, 700.0 mm
Apparent nesting behavior, by other herons at the
rookery, a week later.
April 19, 2020
1/320, f/8.0, ISO 160, 700.0 mm
Several herons apparently tending their nests.
May 03, 2020
1/400, f/5.6, ISO 160, 500.0 mm
Nest-tending or possibly feeding.
May 14, 2020
1/800, f/5.6, ISO 200, 500.0 mm
Note the cute, fuzzy chick! This is the same nest
as in the first picture, about seven weeks
later.
Incubation is
27–29 days.
May 30, 2020
1/320, f/8.0, ISO 400, 700.0 mm
Two hungry chicks, with a parent.
June 02, 2020
1/500, f/5.6, ISO 160, 500.0 mm
The chicks have gotten big. They may be about
to fledge, or may have already done so.
July 06, 2020
1/1000, f/8.0, ISO 800, 700.0 mm
