Bitterns, Herons, and Allies Archives - Window to Wildlife

Great Blue Herons at a rookery in southeast Wisconsin on March 24, 2023

With birding still slow I stopped at a rookery that I have not been to for a few years to see if the Great Blue Herons had returned. Yes they did with about 10 birds and about 9 active nests. The birds were just standing on nests when I arrived at a distance. I did not see any repair work on the nests being done yet or herons bringing in branches to fix things up for the new season. Who knows when they arrived back, maybe it was just yesterday. I took a few photos and left as I did not want to disturb them as I’m sure they had things to do. They say a winter storm is coming! It was a beautiful sunny day with mild temps around 40, low winds. Images were taken on March 24, 2023.

This Great Blue Heron was coming in to perch…

still coming in…

Great Blue Heron just sitting on the nest….no other action while I was present…

Perched high…

Another Great Blue Heron just sitting on the nest…

Perched above the nest…

Perched pretty…

Great Blue Herons at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on September 9, 2022

By admin | September 11, 2022 - 6:08 pm |September 12, 2022 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

1 Comment

A few juvenile Great Blue Herons have been present at Greenfield Park lately. They have been not very active but on a few occasions I have caught them catching fish. Most of the time they are just standing in the water waiting for something to come by to eat and I really think fish numbers are down in the lagoon. Maybe that could be one of the reasons there has been little action as it takes awhile for fish to come by. No adults around as there were earlier but they must have moved on or are heading south. Skies have been mostly sunny and light winds. Images were taken on September 7-9.

A nice catch by this juvenile Great Blue Heron…

Just waiting for the next fish…

Drying off those wings…

More waiting…

What??

Another nice catch!

Walking along the island shore hoping to get a nice catch…

Just moving along the shoreline in water…

Great Egrets at Echo Veterans Memorial Park in Burlington Wisconsin on August 26, 2022

By admin | August 28, 2022 - 9:17 pm |August 29, 2022 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

4 Comments

I made a run down to Echo Veterans Memorial Park in Burlington to see if there were any Great Egrets around. They are typically present near the dam this time of year or out on the lake. There were about 30 present when I arrived. They kept to the south end of the dam or out on the lake in trees most of the time I was there. They were not as active as I would have liked but with a few fishermen around the area or visitors to the park walking around the birds seems skittish for the most part. A couple of times the Great Egrets came over to the north side fishing for food but their stay was short lived. Still a great visit to see these beautiful birds hanging out in nice numbers near the dam. The morning started out cloudy giving way to some sun on and off while I was there. Actually I had to go to my car to get a coat as it was too cold with a breeze off the lake there for just a tee shirt. Images were taken on August 26, 2022.

The Great Egret coming in for a landing at the dam…

The elegant Great Egret…

Typically what I saw when I was there…

Circling near the dam…

Waiting for a fish to be seen…

Below the dam just looking pretty…

Some serious fishing being done here, waiting for a fish to be seen…

Some preening…

Getting those feathers in place…

A photo down the lake at one of the trees they perch in…

Juvenile Green Herons at Greenfield Park on August 15, 2022

By admin | August 19, 2022 - 8:09 pm |August 19, 2022 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

3 Comments

A stop at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee County gave nice looks at a couple of juvenile Green Herons. They did some fishing for food but came up empty each time as they are still learning how to get their food. They are cute with the fuzz on their heads. It was a sunny morning with temps around 70 degrees, low winds and sunny. Images were taken on August 12, 2022.

Green Heron, juvenile, fuzz on head…

Green Heron, juvenile walking down a stick in search of food…waiting for something to come by…

Goes for something here…

The Green Heron went for something but it was a miss, came up empty…

Black-crowned Night-Herons at Humboldt Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin August 16, 2022

By admin | August 16, 2022 - 6:26 pm |August 16, 2022 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

3 Comments

One of my birding stops today was Humboldt Park and the highlight there were a family of Black-crowned Night-Herons. 2 Adults and 4 juveniles hung out on the side of an island. They flew a few feet here or there but no major show by them. Maybe they had already eaten this morning but I saw no food being gone after or consumed. Some preening did occur. It was a beautiful morning with a light breeze, some sun, and mild temperatures. Images were taken on August 16, 2022.

Black-crowned Night-Heron #1, adult…

Some preening…

Stretching…

Stretching…

Black-crowned Night-Heron, juvenile…

Black-crowned Night-Heron, juvenile…

This one up in a tree, Black-crowned Night-Heron, juvenile…

Looks like it was watching for something to eat…Black-crowned Night-Heron, juvenile…

Black-crowned Night-Heron #2, adult…

Black-crowned Night-Herons at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on September 19, 2021

By admin | September 19, 2021 - 5:44 pm |September 19, 2021 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

3 Comments

I got a tip this morning on Black-crowned Night-Herons at Lakeshore State Park and I went to check them out. There were 3 juvenile birds present and they hung out on the rock shores catching food on one occasion that I saw. A few other attempts for food were made but they were missed. It was a beautiful day that warmed up to hot by noon, sunny skies and low winds. Images were taken on September 19, 2021.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron juvenile hunting…

Such a beautiful bird…

Hunting…

Preening…

Waiting for something to come swimming by…

Here’s a catch, a fish…

Moving around on some rocks…

Standing at the shore this one waits for something to come by to eat…

Standing in the water and waiting for something to eat…

Just waiting for something to come by to eat…

Great Blue Heron hunting and finding things to eat at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on August 24, 2021

By admin | August 25, 2021 - 9:58 am |August 30, 2021 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

5 Comments

As I walked Greenfield Park this morning I came across a juvenile Great Blue Heron. The heron was walking through a weedy area out about 25 feet from shore. It moved slowly through the weeds catching a few fish and missing a few too. It was a warm morning and only going to get hotter with mostly sunny skies and little wind. Images were taken on August 24, 2021.

Hunting in the weeds listening and waiting for the next chance to catch a fish…

A try and a miss…

A nice catch here…

On its feet, so silent moving through the weeds listening and watching for something to catch and eat….

Such a beautiful bird…

Getting low in the water, it must see something ahead…

Just a nice pose…

Attack mode…

Another nice catch!

Moving into some deeper water here as there must be something ahead…

And another…

Great Blue Heron in Sawyer County Wisconsin on July 2, 2021

By admin | July 3, 2021 - 3:29 pm |July 3, 2021 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

2 Comments

While out birding on some back roads in Sawyer County I came across a Great Blue Heron. It was standing on a log preening when I went by. A beautiful morning out with temps in the upper 50’s to start and sunny skies. Images were taken on July 2, 2021

Great Blue Heron perched on a log…

Those beautiful feathers…

Dagger type bill…

Snowy Egret at Lincoln Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on May 17, 2021

By admin | May 17, 2021 - 2:55 pm |May 17, 2021 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

Great Egret at Humboldt Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on April 25, 2021

By admin | April 25, 2021 - 7:35 pm |April 25, 2021 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

4 Comments

Stopping at Humboldt Park was a good choice today with a Great Egret present. It put on a beautiful show for the time I was there trying to get something to eat. Of the 4 times I watched it go for I assume fish it failed and eventually left the park out of sight. The morning started out cold and then the sun finally warmed things up with sunny skies, temps were around 32 degrees.

The Great Egret…near the island…

Perched here, looking and waiting for something to eat…showing its beautiful plumes…

The Great Egret goes for something to eat…

Chasing something…

That catch failed and the egret heads back to the perch…

Flies to anther spot…

Another try and fails to get something to eat from what I think…

Perched pretty…

And to another location at the pond…

On the island waiting for something to come by…

Green Heron at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on April 20, 2021

By admin | April 20, 2021 - 3:56 pm |April 20, 2021 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Grant Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on April 14, 2021

By admin | April 14, 2021 - 4:13 pm |April 14, 2021 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

1 Comment

One of my birding stops today was seeing if the reported Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was still present. After 4 days this juvenile bird is still hanging around. It was perched 20 feet off the ground in a Willow tree over looking a small pond. It was a cloudy day, cold with temps only at 37 degrees and a good north wind making it feel like winter. Image was taken on April 14, 2021.

Great Egret at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on September 15, 2020

By admin | September 15, 2020 - 12:41 pm |September 15, 2020 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies, Uncategorized

4 Comments

One of my birding stops today produced a surprise Great Egret. Greenfield Park was one stop on the way home, just in case. I guess today was that day. The bird was off an island feeding when I arrived. On a couple of occasions it fed along a shore until pedestrians came along on bike or foot not realizing the bird was there and the bird flushed. Still one Green Heron present, just saw it fly by when I was there. It was a beautiful day with some sun, a nice breeze, actually had a sweatshirt today. Images were taken on September 15, 2020.

Great Egret moving through the water very slow, hunting for something to eat…

A fish!

In flight after a biker came by…

Getting a fish!

Another fish…

New catch…

I think this is the kill….squish!

Almost down…

A little bite!

Fish in the throat going down…

Green Herons at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on August 28, 2020

By admin | August 31, 2020 - 8:28 pm |September 1, 2020 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

2 Comments

While birding Lakeshore State Park I came across 2 Green Herons hunting for food. They were not very productive while I watched, but it was still nice to see some of their actions. There was one fish taken, a Rock Bass. It was a warm morning, a nice breeze helped, sunny skies. Images were taken on August 28, 2020.

Green Heron, adult

With a nice Rock Bass…

Watching for something to come by…

In search of food at Veterans Park 9/1/2020

Going for a Damselfly and getting it at Veterans Park 9/1/2020

With the Damselfly…at Veterans Park 9/1/2020

Just looking pretty…

Just looking around…

Great Egrets at Echo Park in Burlington Wisconsin on July 21, 2020

By admin | July 21, 2020 - 7:23 pm |July 22, 2020 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

10 Comments

I stopped out at Echo Park in Burlington to see if any Great Egrets were present. Surprisingly there were 8 present, they were spread out, some perched in trees on the lake, a few at the dam, some in tree tops near the dam. At the dam a couple of the Great Egrets were fishing hard for fish to eat and they did well while I was there. It was a very pleasant morning with partly cloudy skies, low winds, and temps around 75 early. Images were taken on July 21, 2020.

Great Egret with a fish…

Stealth mode here waiting for a fish to come by…

Nice catch!

At the dam…

Typically head first!

Beautiful bird!

Shaken off…

Shaken off…

Just being a Great Egret here…

Green Herons on the nest in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on May 29, 2019

By admin | May 29, 2019 - 4:55 pm |May 29, 2019 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

5 Comments

I have never come across and active Green Heron nest in the 9 years I have been birding or even an empty one. So this one I photographed today was a real treat. The 2 adults were present most of the time I was there, sometimes together on the nest, other times the male was out on a limb with the female on the nest. I am sure an egg was laid while I was present as when I arrived the female seemed to be circling on the nest and no egg was present. Shortly there after I noticed an egg on the nest. I was there for a very shot time. It was a cloudy day with some mist early but mild temps and low winds so it was not too bad out. Images were taken on May 29, 2019.

The female sitting on the nest when found…

The male comes over to the nest and the female does some moving around on the nest and a blue egg is now seen…

Both adults together, they were moving around the egg with their bills…

Both birds looking at the egg…

The female turns around maybe to lay another egg, I left the area not wanting to disturb anything…

Green Heron Takes a Minnow for Lunch at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin on September 19, 2018

By admin | September 19, 2018 - 5:31 pm |September 20, 2018 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

3 Comments

One of my birding stops today was the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in Milwaukee County. The highlight was watching a juvenile Green Heron fishing for something to eat. The Green Heron was perched on some downed branches in water near Mystery Lake. A Golden Shiner minnow came swimming by the Green Heron, the heron grabbed it and that was it for the Golden Shiner. A couple flips of the small fish in the herons mouth and it was gone. Some of the other birds to note, Belted Kingfisher, Coopers Hawk, Northern Flickers, Brown Creeper, warblers~ Common Yellowthroats, Palms, Blackpoll and a Nashville. Overall kind of quiet. It was a gloomy day with some brightness at times, temps were about 65 degrees, a nice breeze from the east. Images were taken on September 19, 2018.

Perched and fishing, waiting for something to come by…

The catch, a Golden Shiner!

Holding onto the minnow tight…

The heron decides it is going to come down on the perch to eat…

Gets closer to the water…

Going to get a better grip here…

Re-grabs the minnow…

Getting ready to swallow it…

In it goes…

And the gulp!

A quick drink of water which is what herons usually do after eating something….

Perched pretty for more fishing…

Great Blue Heron Scuffle at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on September 2, 2018

By admin | September 2, 2018 - 12:59 pm |September 2, 2018 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

6 Comments

While birding Greenfield Park in Milwaukee County this morning the highlight was a scuffle with two Great Blue Herons. The two Great Blue Herons came around a corner of an island at the pond and after they landed, the scuffle began and they gave great views of the interaction between them. Must be a territorial thing. It was a slightly overcast morning with a nice breeze, temps were perfect! It was a great time with great friends, birders and photographers too. Images were a taken on September 2, 2018.

Around the corner they come…

About to land…

The scuffle…

They go their own ways…

Black-crowned Night-Heron in Action at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on August 24, 2018

By admin | August 24, 2018 - 6:20 pm |August 24, 2018 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

14 Comments

While birding Lakeshore State Park this morning in Milwaukee in search of shorebirds, I came across a juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron. This heron put on an amazing show while I watch it. Some of the excitement was producing a pellet, eating a vole and some exercises. Herons are known to produce pellets. A beautiful bird and still only a juvenile. It was a cloudy day with a stiff breeze out of the southwest, temperatures pleasant and a few times I felt I should have a light jacket. I couple of shorebirds were present and they were Semipalmated Plovers and Semipalmated Sandpipers. Images were taken on August 24, 2018.

Black-crowned Night-Heron, juvenile

Sitting and waiting for the next meal…

Always looking the area over for any movement…

Waiting…

Starts to cough up a pellet…

Out drops the pellet…

The heron looks at it…

A quick dip in the water for a drink I would assume…

A small mouth stretch…

Next it catches a vole…trying to get a grip here…

Does not look good for the vole…

Getting it in the right position to swallow it…

In and down it goes…

A quick dip in the water with the bill, typically something they do after eating something…

Looks full…

Looking for the next catch…

Playing with and old Cattail cane, herons play with objects and practice their skills

Playing…

Playing…

It was pulling here on the old cane…

Pulling…exercising…

Looking around and the stiff winds blow the head feathers up…

Climbing around on the rocks…

A close-up…

A wing stretch…

Preening…

Scratching…

The feet…

A good mouth stretch…

Perched pretty…

Great Egret in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on August 12, 2018

By admin | August 12, 2018 - 5:13 pm |August 15, 2018 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

5 Comments

Doing some birding in Milwaukee County along the Menominee River Parkway, I came across a Great Egret in a small pond. The adult Great Egret did some hunting for food, caught some food, ate food and did some preening too. It ate crayfish, minnows and some larger fish. A beautiful bird! It was a warm morning out, little wind and mostly sunny. Images were taken on August 12, 2018.