Green Herons at SpruceHaven

     Each spring at SpruceHaven we are fortunate to have a pair of Green Herons (Butorides virescens) take up residence on the pond in front of the house, and intermittently they have bred.
    This year, within a relatively short time after arriving they started to construct a nest. It was located about two metres above the ground in a bush over the water, and as is typical for this species was quite small, not especially robust, and constructed of thin twigs. I was able to observe it for a while, and could often see a bird sitting on the nest, but as the vegetation filled in it became more and more difficult to see through the dense leaves which provided perfect concealment for the incubating birds. Without knowing the nest was there it would have been nigh on impossible for anyone to find it.
     I had hoped that after the incubation period, and waiting for another few days since the young are born semialtricial, I would be able to view nestlings craning their heads above the nest, waiting for parents to return with food, and exploring the world around them; but that never happened and I concluded that for whatever reason the breeding attempt had failed.
     Recent observations appear to have disproved this theory!
     Early this week I had the distinct pleasure of a visit to SpruceHaven by Eric Crofton and Ted Gough from London, ON, and Eric managed some fine shots of a juvenile Green Heron. 

     The extensive carpet of lily pads provides a great highway across the pond for adventuresome young herons.

        If you stretch your neck, maybe you can look twice as big and perhaps even fearsome.

     Then on 29 August our good friend and bird banding helper Merri-Lee saw an adult and two young birds and managed some great images of her own. The adult is on its favourite perch where we often see it snatching prey from the water.

     One of the young birds seems to have adopted this perch as his/her own. 

     It is a good news story that the Green Herons have had a successful breeding season after all. We will hope for a repeat performance next year.
     Thanks to Eric and Merri-Lee for allowing me to use their fine photographs.