Hi, Folks,

Today’s finding of light on the Parkway is Rich Howard’s amazing photograph of a Great Blue Heron near William Pond Park, in flight, with a beak full of branches. The heron is likely carrying materials to be used to build or reinforce its nest. From Cornell University’s excellent “All About Birds” website (https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/lifehistory) we learn that:

“Male Great Blue Herons collect much of the nest material, gathering sticks from the ground and nearby shrubs and trees, and from unguarded and abandoned nests, and presenting them to the female. She weaves a platform and a saucer-shaped nest cup, lining it with pine needles, moss, reeds, dry grass, mangrove leaves, or small twigs. Nest building can take from 3 days up to 2 weeks; the finished nest can range from a simple platform measuring 20 inches across to more elaborate structures used over multiple years, reaching 4 feet across and nearly 3.5 feet deep. Ground-nesting herons use vegetation such as salt grass to form the nest.”

Thanks for this wonderful light moment, Rich!

Dave

Great Blue Heron, American River Parkway ©Rich Howard, 2020