Black-crowned Night Heron

Great shots Done I am jealous. I have never managed to get one in the open, they have always been in heavy vegetation and partially obscured.

Wow, Don, good for you! There was one at the Rookery but as mentioned above, it was totally buried in the branches. Great shots! Number 1 is incredible. (Edit : they are both incredible!)

very nice Don

cdiver2 wrote in post #15476716
Great shots Done I am jealous. I have never managed to get one in the open, they have always been in heavy vegetation and partially obscured.

Thanks for the comments. They are often in shade as I suppose they sleep a lot during the day.

Wallace River wrote in post #15476754
Wow, Don, good for you! There was one at the Rookery but as mentioned above, it was totally buried in the branches. Great shots! Number 1 is incredible. (Edit : they are both incredible!)

Thanks so very much Ian. There were actually two herons but the other stayed well back deep in the shade. This one at first had its head shaded and obscured by branches. But as I maneuvered to find an opening to shoot through it moved along the branch into the sun and I had a clear view for these shots.

kmunroe wrote in post #15476779
very nice Don

Thanks for looking Ken.

#1 is a terrific close-up. I see these in the Chicago area a lot along the Chicago River, but isn't it a Yellow Crowned Night Heron?

PhotoFranz wrote in post #15477009
#1 is a terrific close-up. I see these in the Chicago area a lot along the Chicago River, but isn't it a Yellow Crowned Night Heron?

Thanks for the comments Franz. I did some looking and I believe you are right about this being a Yellow Crowned. When you see photos of each side by side it is quite clear. Thanks for the correction on the ID.

Don1 wrote in post #15477116
Thanks for the comments Franz. I did some looking and I believe you are right about this being a Yellow Crowned. When you see photos of each side by side it is quite clear. Thanks for the correction on the ID.

No problem, Don. I am every bit the amateur when it comes to photography but the Black Crowned Night Heron is a bird I have come to love. Most Chicagoans probably do not know that they exist, mush less thrive around Chicago in the Summer. I have gotten into the habit of getting my fishing boat on the Chicago River several times a year to fish and take photos.

We always see BCNH's and Kingfishers very close to the center of the city and they go unseen by most of my fellow city folk.

Excellent images Don!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice job, excellent detail!

Another great set Don, you're knockin' 'em out. I've yet to get close to a mature Yellow Crown, strange but we don't see many adult YCNH around here.

TedEllis wrote in post #15477250
Excellent images Don!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Ted.

Garry Gibson wrote in post #15477478
Nice job, excellent detail!

Thanks very much Garry.

Nighthound wrote in post #15477648
Another great set Don, you're knockin' 'em out. I've yet to get close to a mature Yellow Crown, strange but we don't see many adult YCNH around here.

Thanks Steve. I've seen the Black-crowned enough times in Ontario that I didn't pay attention to the yellow streak in this one.

A fine set there Don, great close ups.

2slo wrote in post #15478203
A fine set there Don, great close ups.

Thanks very much Mark.

Beautiful close up shots Don!