Tag Archives: Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Yellow-crowned Night-heron Rookery

April 30, 2026 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

On three trips to Cypress Wetlands this nesting season and I’ve not seen the Yellow-crowned Night-herons performing their mating dance. They seem to be all paired up now with some nest repair activity on Monday, but mostly they were settled in.

I couldn’t see if this pair was at a nest or just hanging around, but they did have a touching moment.

A few trees over this one flew into an open space for a ruffle…

…followed by a look around.

Then he turned away from me showing off those beautiful feathers flowing down his back.

Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC

April 27, 2026

Wading Birds

Yellow-crowned Night-heron Grooming

April 16, 2026 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

The foliage was dense and I didn’t see any Yellow-crowned Night-herons performing their mating dance but this fellow picked an open spot to work on his feathers.

Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC

April 14, 2026

Wading Birds

Black-crowned Night-herons Nesting

April 15, 2026 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

We went back to where the Black-crowned Night-herons are nesting at Cypress Wetlands yesterday.

This one was busy preening, standing on one leg with a toenail of the other poking out through his feathers and casting a shadow on his wing.

This pair were working on their nest with the male delivering sticks…

…which the female worked into a perfect spot.

Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC

April 14, 2026

Wading Birds

Yellow-crowned Night-heron

April 11, 2026 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

Dozens of Yellow-crowned Night-herons were paired up and working on nests at the back rookery area at Cypress Wetlands. The vegetation is dense.

Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC

March 31, 2026

Wading Birds

Yellow-crowned Night-heron On A Walk

June 25, 2025 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

We were both startled and I expected the Yellow-crowned Night-heron to fly.

Instead, he continued his walk through some grass.

He wandered to the retaining wall at the edge of the pond.

I watched a few minutes then went on my way as it was too hot for me to stand out in the sun.

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
June 16, 2025

Wading Birds

Yellow-crowned Night-heron Stick Shopping

May 10, 2025 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

A Yellow-crowned Night-heron picked up and rejected a number of possible twigs for nesting material and spent some time just looking around.

Finally, the right stick was located…

Yellow-crowned Night-heron Flying With Stick

and away he went.

I don’t normally include humans, but that’s my husband, Ted (tpjphoto.com), not getting an image of this flight. The photo also give you an idea of the rookery location and density, with the boardwalk running through the woods.

The heron continued on towards his nest, somewhere up in the trees.

Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
May 7, 2025

Correction March 28, 2026
I had these photos and post erroneously labeled as Black-crowned Night-heron.

Wading Birds

Yellow-crowned Night-herons, Showing Off

May 1, 2025 Ellen Jennings 6 Comments

The trees surrounding the Yellow-crowned Night-heron nesting area at Cypress Wetlands had filled in considerably in the two weeks since our previous visit.

I got a few glimpses of some mating behavior….

…but mostly it was butt end views.

Dangling Spanish Moss and a little breeze added to the sight line interference, but create some drama.

Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
April 10, 2025

Wading Birds

Yellow-crowned Night-herons at Rookery, 2025

April 14, 2025 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

We made our first trip to the rookery at Cypress Wetlands in late March. The Yellow-crowned Night-herons had just arrived that week according to some locals I chatted with.

The birds had gone right to work picking nest sites in the same nesting area they have used in previous years.

Fortunately for the bird watcher the trees were just starting to put out needles and leaves.

They also took some time to show off, hoping to attract the best mate.

Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
March 25, 2025

Wading Birds

Yellow-crowned Night-herons at Rookery

June 8, 2024 Ellen Jennings 4 Comments

The Yellow-crowned Night-herons nest in a separate area of the rookery than the other nesting birds I’ve recently featured. Their nests are higher off the ground in a wooded area at the far end of the big pond. This year the nests are all facing away from the boardwalk that passes below them.