It’s that time of year again~! 💙♥️. Just this week, BirdNote published a cool piece about Great Blue nesting behavior: A heron nest starts with just one stick.
“Great blue herons don’t mate for life, but they do have elaborate courtship rituals that help pairs form strong bonds. Their mating displays include bill snapping, neck stretching, moaning calls, preening, circular flights, twig shaking, twig exchanging, crest raising and even bill duels.” (Sciencing)
Great Blue Herons (GBHs) have been nesting on these same tree islands at least since Wakodahatchee (open hyperlink to read more!), a local constructed wetlands, opened in 1996.
In recent years, scores of Wood Storks have ‘taken over’ many of the nesting areas, but many GBH pairs still return faithfully each year.
Birder's Journey 
I so very much enjoyed seeing your wonderful photos of the GBH pair, BJ. I was glad you provided a link to the Wakodahatchee park, too, and can see why you love it here, so many birds!
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So glad you enjoyed them, Jet! I’m happy to have found that link to the Wakotahatchee Wetlands brochure, I didn’t even know there was one!
I hope you are well and safe!! I confess to being very delayed on checking WP but I will look back now.
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That time of year 🙂
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Yes!!! Looking forward to seeing how the parents cope with those incredibly noisy babies in a month or two!!
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Beautiful images of these GB Heron’s, BJ. I hope they have successful broods.
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Thanks, Deborah! They seem to love these wetland tree, islands, and it is always fascinating to watch the whole process over the coming months.
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You’ve found a great Rookery to observe them in.
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Oh yes, Deborah! We actually have MANY birders from all over the country, and even all over the world, who hear about our wetlands and come here to enjoy them, especially at this time of year!
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Wonderful!!
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Thank you, Kathy! I hope you’re having a beautiful day☀️
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Wonderful photos of the herons going about their business! With all the effort they put into their “relationships” you’d think it would be a good basis for a lifetime affair 😊
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Haha 😉. Have a fabulous weekend, Belinda!
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You too.
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They are so beautiful and spectacular in their breeding plumage BJ, you have captured these two lovers well. If that is their nest I hope those branches are soft and flexible.
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They really do become very showy and majestic-looking in their breeding plumage, AB. We see them flying back and forth with sticks of all shapes and sizes as they’re building their nests. Many of the branches may also have leaves, and I think they use other soft materials, too. But mostly, the GBH nests in our SE Florida wetlands just look like a bunch of sticks and twigs. I must say, though, the females do a very careful job of arranging everything “just so.”
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Love these photos! I’ve never seen GBHs courting, so this is a treat.
In just the past week here along the Front Range, the robins have returned and birds have started singing — chickadees, nuthatches, flickers, lesser goldfinches. Nice reassurance that spring is coming. 🙂
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Thanks, Amy! Interesting how different birds and bird behaviors can be so common to us in our own areas. I’m so happy for you that you are seeing signs of early spring – wishing you a beautiful weekend!☀️
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A beautifully photographed series! I think that the bird with outstretched wings looks magnificent – and I’m assuming that his Mrs thinks so too… 🙂
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I’m sure the males in this scenario have done a great job impressing the females!
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You can really see those rusty shoulder patches in these shots!
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Nice observation! Yes, very distinct in some shots! Thanks for commenting.
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Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos of this pair. Let’s hope their nest will harbor young ones soon.
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Thanks so much for your visit, Tanja! Some of the GBH pairs have had chicks and they’re getting big already!
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How exciting, thank you for letting me know. That seems early for Colorado, but probably not for Florida. I wish them well!
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Such lovely photos! Thank you for subscribing to my site – I just love birds!
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Your site popped up in my reader as a recommended blog to follow. I’m so glad it did! Hope you’re having a lovely week!
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