We've had a few of these before, but this year the Blue Herrons are really nesting outside my office window. Almost two dozen and counting. Mostly in this one cottonwood.
"I'd have got your map done, but I was watching the blue herons...."
A full-on rookery. Need to invest in a good telescope! Enjoy the view.
They do put on a show. They fish outside my window. Now there are people driving down the road and parking just to watch them. It's unusual to see so many in one place in this area.
I've only seen one in one spot before. They are a very cool-looking bird. One (only) used to hang out near my last house. Thanks for the photo.
We had an area where I grew up that the blue herons returned to year after year in tall cottonwood trees. You'd always see them fishing alone, but they all came together to roost and nest in that same area.
Really nifty.
Nate
It is a bit distracting here. With the Owls, Hawks, Herrons, Deer, Turtles, Geese, Ducks, Muscrats, Beavers, ect. right outside the window you can get lost watching it all. Not sure if it's good or bad for productivity. 😉
We have a similar rookery here with Egrets. The trouble is that they eventually kill the trees with the high nitrogen levels in their poop. Once the tree dies they move to another and after awhile they move on because all the trees are dead. I don't have any problem with this. It's just the way of nature taking it's course but there always seems to be some "do gooder" that thinks they need to ride to the rescue.
Just be glad you don't get tasked with topoing a bird rookery. Years back I had to do this and got completly pummeled with bird crap by dive bombing Arctic Terns. My gunner laughed so hard he had to change his shorts.
