There’s a few large ponds in the old cemetery area, this was the Umbra Plantation land. There are hand made brick structures that were probably the base of an old bridge. When the water is low the Night Herons sit on them while looking for fish.
This Black-crown is a juvenile and could be his first year. The trees along the ponds are a small rookery for these birds. They look nothing like the adults, but they blend with the trees perfectly for their first 18 months. And they need it. There are hawks and eagles up above here, foxes, bobcats, and alligators down below.
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Using An Old Bridge, Black-crowned Night Heron
Using An Old Bridge, Black-crowned Night Heron
Using An Old Bridge, Black-crowned Night Heron
Using An Old Bridge, Black-crowned Night Heron
I just looked them up – wow, they really change a lot as they mature! I would hardly have guessed the juvenile and adult were the same bird. Nature never seems to run out of surprises. 🙂
Very different. And… there are two kinds of Night Heron, they look very different. But both species juveniles look the same. It’s no wonder we get confused.
A very nice set! Dangerous environment for those young birds.
Thanks. And yes, ‘it’s a jungle out there’.
Nice photos, Ted. Always jealous that you can get so close. Even today while trying to photograph some Great Blue Herons at a local conservation area, they could glimpse me a 1/4 mile away and be off.
Oh how I feel your pain. I remember when living in Connecticut walking about 1/2 mile in the woods to catch herons, who of course saw me 1/4 mile away.
I was convinced the Lowcountry was where I needed to live after only the first week of a 2 month shoot. Ellen finally agreed a week later lol. It was reinforced after returning north…the herons up there reminded me.
Beautiful Ted.
Thanks. One of those days where the light was bad, air wet, and getting only a handful of shots.