3 of a Kind GBH Nests !!

 Jan 26, 2024


For the first time since I've been watching this nesting activity, there are multiple Great Blue Heron (GBH) nests in progress. Not just 2, but 3!! These birds tend to be solitary, but they also like to nest in colonies and we're seeing local evidence of that now. The photo below shows the relative locations of the nests.... #1 is in the middle, so called since that's the location of the sole nests from the previous years.



Location #2 is the second one I noticed, and activity on #3 (one mangrove closer to me) just began last week. It's not possible to get all 3 in a single telephoto shot with my long lens, but the next photo shows the closest nests (#1 and #2), and the photo after that shows only #3.



This is a male in the above image from #3, performing a neck stretch that (I have just read) is part of a mating ritual. I've never seen this before. The next image shows a closer up look at an occupant of #2:


The nests are deep down into the bushes, and pretty difficult to see at this point. I have seen all 6 adults at one time, in their respective nesting locations, but one of each is generally off getting sticks or feeding.

 So, who are all these birds? It seems likely that the #2 couple are Ma and Pa Kettle. Although GBH's are "serial monogamists" (will have different mates in different years), these two are the only ones I've seen around for years and I'm guessing that's them again. Interestingly, on a day in late October, about 9 GBH's descended into this area. There must have been an Open House advertised by Shorebird Realty . Coincidentally, there were also about 30 Wood Storks at the same time, but none of them set up camp here. Some of these GBH's may well be past off-spring of Ma & Pa Kettle. Waldo and Waldon't would not yet be mature for mating, but there would be Junior (the sole surviving chick from 2022 nesting), and likely others from previous years before I started watching. It's all speculation, but possibly all the activity from that day in October was from chicks who were born and fledged here in past years

Going back to the lead-off photo, no violence ensued! Mama Gator went back to sleep very soon after that photo.



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