Tag Archives: Skinny Tree

Great Blue Herons Nesting In The Skinny Tree

The Skinny Tree saga continues as a pair of Great Blue Herons were busy working on the nest last week.

Great Blue Heron Leaving the Skinny Tree
Great Blue Heron Leaving the Skinny Tree

The male didn’t waste much time between trips fetching nesting material like they sometimes do.

Great Blue Heron Leaving the Skinny Tree
Great Blue Heron Leaving the Skinny Tree

Look closely and you can see the tree is still alive, a few branches have green leaf buds.

Great Blue Heron Pair At the Skinny Tree
Great Blue Heron Pair At the Skinny Tree

There may be eggs, too, as the female spent a lot of time laying down while her mate was on material runs.

Great Blue Heron Pair At the Skinny Tree
Great Blue Heron Pair At the Skinny Tree

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
March 5, 2023

Great Blue Heron Repurposing The Skinny Tree Nest

It seems that the Great Blue Heron couple have abandoned nesting at the Skinny Tree sometime in the last week.

Great Blue Heron at Skinny Tree
Great Blue Heron at Skinny Tree

Another enterprising GBH spent a couple hours on Tuesday removing material from what had appeared to be a robust nest.

Great Blue Heron at Skinny Tree, Stealing Sticks
Great Blue Heron at Skinny Tree, Stealing Sticks

This heron’s nest is just at the other end of the pond, in the big island.

Great Blue Heron at Skinny Tree, Stealing Sticks
Great Blue Heron at Skinny Tree, Stealing Sticks

He made lots of trips mostly with small branches while I was watching.

Great Blue Heron Leaving Skinny Tree with Stolen Stick
Great Blue Heron Leaving Skinny Tree with Stolen Stick

Of course it is not theft to them, it is taking advantage of easy pickings.

Great Blue Heron Leaving Skinny Tree with Stolen Stick
Great Blue Heron Leaving Skinny Tree with Stolen Stick

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
January 31, 2023

A Time To Nest, Canoodling

The Great Blue Heron pair took a few moments to bond after the male  brought a stick for the nest.

Great Blue Heron Pair
Great Blue Heron Pair

OK, enough of that.

Great Blue Heron Pair at Nest
Great Blue Heron Pair at Nest

Ready for another stick!

Great Blue Heron Pair at Nest
Great Blue Heron Pair at Nest

Off he went.

Great Blue Heron Male Flying Off
Great Blue Heron Male Flying Off

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
December 28, 2022

Google shares a lot about the word Canoodle, I’ll leave it at “This somewhat silly-sounding word applies to somewhat innocent physical affection.”

Meanwhile, Level 2 of the Skinny Tree

Or, The Challenge

I know you are down there!

Great Blue Heron Alert to an Intruder
Great Blue Heron Alert to an Intruder

And I want you to leave!

Great Egret Challenges Great Blue Heron
Great Egret Challenges Great Blue Heron

Not going!

Great Egret Challenges Great Blue Heron
Great Egret Challenges Great Blue Heron

Says who?

Great Egret Challenges Great Blue Heron
Great Egret Challenges Great Blue Heron

Oh, I think you are!

Great Egret Challenges Great Blue Heron
Great Egret Challenges Great Blue Heron

The Great Blue Heron won this round when the Great Egret took off but it was less then ten minutes and he came back.

The Skinny Tree, Great Blue Heron in top nest, Great Egret working nest below
The Skinny Tree, Great Blue Heron in top nest, Great Egret hasn’t made much progress on his nest down below

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
March 15, 2022