WWTBAM Bored

I've talked before about the Great Blue Herons that have nested for the past three years at the Sapsucker Woods bird sanctuary, here in Ithaca. The birds are back, and this year they've got a live webcam watching the nest. It's so light sensitive that even now, well after sunset, we can see two eggs in the nest and papa heron standing guard over them. Pretty cool!

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=2433

They've got a camera watching a Red-tailed hawk nest on the Cornell campus, too, but I didn't notice any activity on that one.

Mama heron laid her third egg, this evening!

MarleysGh0st wrote:Mama heron laid her third egg, this evening!

Darn you, Marley. You've got me hooked. The bird chat people said that a fourth egg may appear on Tuesday or Wednesday. I plan to watch for it.

That is one good heron daddy, too.

silvercamaro wrote:That is one good heron daddy, too.

Yep! This is their fourth year on that nest. They've successfully raised four chicks in each of the last three years.

She just laid her fourth egg, with over 3,000 people watching on the live webcam!

Woo hoo!!!

I thought they were done with the egg laying, so I haven't been watching so carefully for the past couple of days, but being on camera has apparently inspired them to surpass themselves.

As of last night, five eggs!

Boy, they're going to have to catch a lot of fish to feed all those hungry mouths.

MarleysGh0st wrote:I thought they were done with the egg laying, so I haven't been watching so carefully for the past couple of days, but being on camera has apparently inspired them to surpass themselves.

As of last night, five eggs!

Boy, they're going to have to catch a lot of fish to feed all those hungry mouths.

Are they decorating them for Easter?

Bob Juch wrote:Are they decorating them for Easter?

Ummmm, no.

Domestic drama in the nest today!

Momma Heron withstood a challenge from a prospective home invasion from an off-camera intruder. She successfully protected her nest, her eggs, and/or her virtue, but lost the two longest feathers of her beautiful head crest in the scuffle. Later, a third heron showed up briefly, but whether he was the source of the earlier trouble is unknown. DaddyHeron has brought Momma an assortment of new sticks for the nest, as if they are a collection of trophies. He currently is giving her a rest from nesting duties. I pity the fool who might want to mess with her right now.

Ah, you are hooked!

Laura and the other staffers who are moderating the chat window have an incredibly overwhelming job, trying to answer all the questions that keep getting asked again and again and again, plus policing the chat room for inappropriate comments.

They're calling whatever happened last night "The Big Kerfluffle".

There was another kerfluffle last night at about the same time, 4 am. They suspect it was an owl, but the video hasn't been examined for evidence, yet.

Darn you Marley! Now I have been there a couple of times today!

I even saw all 5 eggs while Dad was repositioning sticks.

And it is quite windy today!

I have been watching this on my laptop. I have always been interested in birds. Mom says it's in my blood. I just point at them, though. I don't chase them. I have learned a lot of neat stuff, such as --

1. Heron eggs are pale blue. They are prettier than refrigerator eggs.

2. Herons have a warrior braid, which they call a "nuptial plume." (Mom Heron lost hers in a fight.)

3. Birds have nests, just like squirrels, except they don't decorate them as much as Evil Squirrel decorates his. Apparently, birds don't steal toys like squirrels do, either. I didn't see any. Maybe they will get some when the babies come. I will watch and find out.

4. Birds have a bald place on their tummies called a "brood patch," which stays warmer to incubate the eggs. I have a bald place on my tummy, too, so I guess that means I could hatch eggs if I had any. Mom says I shouldn't try.

Part of me wants to say something in the chat right next to the Heron TV. I have noticed a few other fifth-graders in there, but everybody seems to be a 2-footer. If I think of a good question, though, I might ask it and not mention that I have extra feet. The experts and everyone else seem nice, so if I'm polite, maybe they wouldn't get mad at me for asking.

Lizbit wrote:Part of me wants to say something in the chat right next to the Heron TV. I have noticed a few other fifth-graders in there, but everybody seems to be a 2-footer. If I think of a good question, though, I might ask it and not mention that I have extra feet. The experts and everyone else seem nice, so if I'm polite, maybe they wouldn't get mad at me for asking.

Certainly, you should ask, Lizbit! And they're trying to be real careful about their chat room, so they've got a rule about not mentioning personal details like ages. Number of feet would fall under that rule, I'm thinking.

They've got the video of the kerfluffles posted on YouTube, now. Very quick images, but the attacker was a Great Horned Owl--a very daring and ambitious one!

Sometimes, what a mother has to say in any language needs no translation.

Getting an accurate story is difficult when the details are repeated from person to person on the chat window, but apparently the owl paid another visit to the nest, last night. This time, both mom and dad heron were on guard and chased it off!

Should be more interesting video, when the Lab of Ornithology folks get a chance to review it.

I have my own view of a nest, just outside my front door. This house was empty for many months before I moved in so a bird built its nest about 20 feet high and about a foot below the top of the ceiling of the covered entrance. The bird could be a yellow-headed blackbird but they're not supposed to be this far east.

I'm sure if I had been moved in already the bird(s) would have chosen a different location away from the lights and noise.

Marley,

Thanks for posting the link. Very cool!

geoffil wrote:Marley,

Thanks for posting the link. Very cool!

It sure is!

I'm glad I recruited another viewer for "Heron TV".

Just wait until eggs hatch and we've got some chicks to watch!

Yes, thank you for sharing, Marley!

An update for those who aren't glued to Heron TV all day:

Today's development is that a small dent has been spotted in one of the eggs, as can be seen in the following close-up photo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chickadee/ ... 76758@N25/

They say the viability of the egg is unknown, but may be in doubt as it loses moisture through the crack. OTOH, the chances may be better for raising four chicks than five, so the fifth egg may have been an "insurance policy".

Lots of worry and concern among the chatters today. We're getting way too involved with these birds!

I was there when Dad brought all the big sticks to fortify the nest today.



*ok, maybe I was there a few other times too.

**ok, maybe it was a lot of other times.

PS - Damn you, Marley!! I have no free time now. I've been keeping a second window open while at work so I can see what's going on. I can't miss anything! LOL

cindy.wellman wrote:I was there when Dad brought all the big sticks to fortify the nest today.



*ok, maybe I was there a few other times too.

**ok, maybe it was a lot of other times.

PS - Damn you, Marley!! I have no free time now. I've been keeping a second window open while at work so I can see what's going on. I can't miss anything! LOL

Sorry!

Yeah, when it's Mom's turn on the nest and Dad has had time to catch himself some fish, he keeps busy bringing back sticks. Seems like the routine is for him to hand the stick to Mom, who decides the proper place to arrange the stick. (Dad certainly adjusts them a lot, too, though, when he's on the nest.) Some of the sticks he's bringing have fresh flowers or leaves on them, so the nest is getting rather decorative!