Monday, June 19, 2017

Juvenile Great Blue Herons, 6/19/17, Lyons-Cutler Reservation - Sudbury


A heron is leaving its perch just in time to avoid a collision with a heron coming in behind it.




Click on the image for a larger view. Notice the fish just above the rim of the nest, the "expression" on the face of the adult, and the total chaos of feathers and wings of the juveniles.

Video will open in a new window or tab.




The video starts with a few highlights and then shows an adult great blue heron flying and landing near a nest. Soon after, a second adult decides to land at the same perch evicting the first heron. The second heron moves over to the nest where the juveniles grab its bill in theirs and pull its head down to get their meal. Then they fight among themselves for the food. One juvenile seems to swallow a surprisingly large fish, tail first (watch near the rim of the nest as they scuffle), but it comes back out a moment later. A sibling tries to take it, but the first juvenile gets its bill inside the other's causing the fish to drop and then takes it back swallowing it successfully, head first.






Part II shows the antics of chicks at another nest. The audio is on and you the chicks are audible. At the end, the adult in the video drops down to a branch below the nest before flying off.




Part III shows the uncut footage of the chicks in Part I.