One of the young Black-crowned Night-herons that was gathered near the rice field canals, seen past a water control trunk.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 3, 2021
Juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron and Trunk
Tag Archives: Black-crowned Night-Heron
Multiple Juvenile Black-crowned Night-herons
A series of canals that run along and between some old rice fields has become a gathering spot for young Black-crowned Night-herons.
When the tide is out there is a buffet of crabs and other creatures exposed for lunch down in the canals.
When we passed through the tide was in and the birds exhibited heron patience in the trees.
A few of them swapped positions, pushing each other around, but this one just held his position.
A few more of the juvenile Black-crowned Night-herons were in another tree line but proved to be a bit more skittish.
Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron on Trunk
This Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron looks like he’d been fishing, and maybe fell in.
He was perched in a little patch of sun on a water control trunk at the edge of an old rice field pond.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
August 8, 2021
Black-crowned Night-heron Gathering
A flock of Black-crowned Night-Herons have been roosting around the big pond at Charleston’s Magnolia Cemetery.
Every time someone walked underneath them, or sometimes for no apparent reason, they flew off.
A few minutes later they would fly back in ones and twos, putting on quite a show.
I’ve seen a few Black-crowned Night-Herons in this location before, but on Sunday estimated at least 30 to 40 birds. There may have been more that just staying tucked into the trees.
Black-crowned Night-heron at Trunk
A Black-crowned Night-heron was perched on the edge of one of the trunks that controls water flow from this pond to the marsh on the other side of the road. The hunting is often very easy near the trunks as small fish gather in the moving water which attracts a whole food chain.
Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron
A Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron biding his time until the tide receded so he could more easily hunt.
Juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron On Boardwalk
The two Black-crowned Night-heron nests I spotted at the beginning of May apparently failed as they disappeared shortly thereafter. There must have been at least one other nest in that little island as I almost literally bumped into this juvenile on Thursday standing on the nearby boardwalk.
He practiced rousing…
… and showed me his beautiful wings.
A little unsure of himself, he hopped along before taking off back to the island.
Further down the path I had a view of him perched on a dead branch hanging over the water.
Black-crowned Night Heron
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens re-opened on Friday for visitors to walk the property. We went for the first time today and this was the first bird I photographed.
A Black-crowned Night Heron was peering down into a tangle of an evergreen tree.
Some flapping in the tree’s interior ensued and I could just see another heron laying on a nest. It also looks like there is another laying in the upper right of this image.
After some more flapping and moving about that I couldn’t see, one of the herons left.
He didn’t go far at first, perching in a nearby tree before he flew off–probably to find a meal.
Black-crowned Night Heron, Quiet
As I got out of the car there was a din of red-winged black birds and grackles: loud and harsh. I looked up to see what they were up to and there was a gorgeous Black-crowned Night Heron looking back at me, probably wondering what all the fuss was about.
Sunning by the Marsh Grass
It was a bit windy and cold on this late January day.
The few wading birds that were around huddled up against the sun drenched marsh grass.
The Great Blue Heron needed space, the others, plus a Common Gallinule chose to stick together.
