2004

Great Blue Heron - Nest

Great Blue Herons mate for life. Both parents build the nest, brood, feed the young, and teach the chicks how to fly and hunt.

Although nests are often reused for years, this is a new nest.

9 January 2014. At least one of the adults will usually stay with the nest.

The other heron is out in search of nesting materials (still under construction).

10 January 2014. "I think we should put in the addition over here."

It is basically impossible to distinguish the male and female in the field.

18 January 2014. No eggs yet.

25 January 2014. Still waiting for those eggs.

25 January 2014.

Nest is about 16 meters up. ~1.5 meters across.

28 January 2014. Bad hair day.

29 January 2014. Adult wingspan up to 7 feet (2.1 meters).

3 February 2014. I haven't seen any activity in several days.

I assume there are now eggs. One is brooding (and thus not visible) while the other is out hunting.

5 February 2014. Some herons hanging out about 20 meters from nest. They may or may not be related to nest.

5 February 2014. Saw one of the adults in nest stand up briefly to stretch, then sit down again.

Too fast to get a picture. This type of behavior is conclusive proof that there are eggs. You'll have to take my word for that.

Eggs will probably hatch in April.

Unrelated place-holder picture. Heron in Playa Del Rey.