Tag Archives: Skinny Tree

GBH Triplets In The Skinny Tree, Foggy Morning

It was a foggy morning and I had just missed the adult Great Blue Heron feeding the chicks.

Great Blue Heron and Three Chicks
Great Blue Heron and Three Chicks

The adult was showing signs of leaving…

Great Blue Heron and Three Chicks
Great Blue Heron and Three Chicks

…and away s/he went.

Great Blue Heron Leaving The Nest
Great Blue Heron Leaving The Nest

The chicks hunkered down.

Great Blue Heron Triplet Chicks
Great Blue Heron Triplet Chicks

One was a little more curious, soon they will be wing flapping.

Great Blue Heron Triplet Chicks
Great Blue Heron Triplet Chicks

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
April 15, 2023

GBH Triplets In The Skinny Tree

The Skinny Tree is hanging on and once again hosting a Great Blue Heron family.

Great Blue Heron Feeding Three Chicks
Great Blue Heron Feeding Three Chicks

There are three chicks, and amazingly all three appear to be thriving.

Great Blue Heron and Three Chicks
Great Blue Heron and Three Chicks

Other nests with triplets that I have observed over the years have at least one chick being much smaller and not surviving.

Great Blue Heron and Three Chicks
Great Blue Heron and Three Chicks

This year’s nest is pretty small compared to other years which will be a challenge for the family as the chicks grow.

Great Blue Heron and Three Chicks
Great Blue Heron and Three Chicks

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
April 12, 2023

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.”