Night herons preparing for migration at Mud Lake

As I drove into nan South Boat Ramp connected Mud Lake connected Wednesday evening, 17 young, black-crowned nighttime herons flew up from a pond and into nan willows. It did not return them agelong to wiggle on nan flimsy willow canes to go hidden successful nan heavy foliage, and earlier I stopped, nary were visible.

I continued my thrust down nan southbound broadside of Mud Lake watching awesome bluish herons, snowy egrets, a awesome egret and a family of American bitterns — on pinch thousands of American coots, a hod-podge of ducks and different waterfowl. Northern harriers and Swainsen’s hawks were moving nan willows and edges of nan agriculture fields looking for rodents, while nan awesome bluish herons appeared to beryllium much successful astatine catching nan rodents.

But my desire was to spot erstwhile nan black-crowned nighttime herons would travel backmost retired to do their hunting for food. Their sanction is derived from their wont to hunt successful nan precocious evening done nan nighttime until dawn. Experts presume that this clip is champion suited for them because of each nan title they person during nan daylight hours from different herons and egrets. I person seen them hunting connected cloudy days, but only occasionally.

So, backmost to nan pond I went. I group up astatine nan champion spot to observe nan willows wherever I saw astir of them disappear. While waiting, respective times a harrier would alert complete nan shallow pond, and I would perceive nan “kwok” sound coming from nan herons hidden successful nan willows. The precocious hatches of coots who could not alert yet would scurry for screen into nan gangly writer aliases reeds.

Clouds covered nan mounting sun erstwhile I noticed a young heron position itself adjacent nan water’s edge. Then I watched arsenic 3 adults showed themselves higher successful nan willows. It was not agelong earlier I could make retired 12 immature herons astatine nan separator of nan heavy willows, but they each walked aliases flew backmost successful erstwhile a young bald eagle flew over.

An immature black-crowned nighttime heron looks for an evening meal. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com

It was almost acheronian erstwhile I yet observed nan 3 adults and respective young birds commencement hunting successful nan shallow pond. I watched 1 young bird, who appeared to beryllium very young and could hardly fly, beryllium fed nan regurgitated puree from 1 of nan adults. It will request to mature quickly to beryllium fresh to migrate successful little than a period to nan confederate states.

An big black-crowned nighttime heron appears retired of nan heavy foliage conscionable earlier sunset. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com

Their migration should commencement successful 3 to 4 weeks erstwhile immoderate of nan shallow waters statesman to frost over. The black-crowned nighttime herons are opportunistic feeders and will eat almost everything “dead aliases alive” that is animal, vertebrate aliases works matter. However, astir of what they eat are fish. They do not person agelong legs, truthful if nan edges of nan ponds frost over, they are without meal and lunch.

A young heron attempts to drawback its equilibrium arsenic it tries to locomotion connected a willow cane. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com

Their migration to confederate states usually starts successful precocious September aliases early October, and they will recreation successful mini to ample groups of birds up to 200. They besides recreation during nan night, uncovering a suitable remainder area during nan day. If they find a bully feeding area, they whitethorn enactment a mates of days to refill their power needs.

An immature heron patiently waits for acheronian to statesman hunting for food. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com

It you want to observe these birds earlier they leave, precocious evening and early greeting connected nan southside of Mud Lake is simply a awesome place. You tin besides watch different type of birds preparing to migrate successful that area. Thursday evening, I observed a flock of astir 30 awesome bluish herons flying on nan south-east broadside of Mud Lake.

A very young heron begs to beryllium fed from an big this week. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com