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…
Terrific sequence Jim!
Beautiful images, Jim. Love the photos of behaviors and the close-ups. Great work!
Jim
What a great series of pictures on the Night Heron feeding
Jim, excellent photos and commentary! I always learn so much from your postings. Ann
An excellent study, such wonderful photographs. Didn’t know they upchucked pellets, or ate voles. I loved the footwork when climbing the rocks. Thank you for posting!
A great lesson for all of us about Black-crowned Night-Heron behavior. We could learn a lot more about birds if we had your patience, Jim. This is a great sequence with amazing details!
Love it, Jim!
These are wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
What a story these photos tell Jim. Just wonderful photos!! Thank you!!!
Excellent photos.
I love night herons and learned so much more about their behavior from your photos.
Thank you!
Great photos! Very educational.
Great series of photos. Excellent detail. Wonderful to look at.
Amazing! Simply amazing, Jim!
What a super series. Thank you for sharing it.