Black Crowned Night Herons: Rite of Spring

I got up early on Sunday to drive 3 1/2 hours to the Palo Alto Baylands to see the Herons and Egrets roosting there. It was a beautiful morning and the Herons did not dissapoint. There were a few egrets that showed up later in the afternoon, but I suspect that it will be another few weeks before they re in full breeding form.

Anyhow I'll post some BCNH photos in this thread and I'll post another thread with some of the other birds I saw Sunday morning.

= Ed =

#1 The early morning light is really lovely. A fine example of the well-groomed BCNH.

It's all worth the early morning communte Ed. These images are simply awesome and well captured. I particularly like the pics with the chicks as I don't see these kinds of photos posted very often.

Nice series on one of my favorite birds.

Great series. These shots are all simply outstanding. Excellent work indeed.

Amazing series of shots. Just awesome.

Wow Ed, these are all great. Lighting, color heck everything you did to get these looks great. Thanks for sharing!!

Wonderful!!!

All Great shots!

Amazing series. All of them are great.

Beautiful! Well done!

Excellent series here Ed of this most beautiful Heron. I hope the few we have here return this Spring.

Wow Fantastic shots, I particularly love pics#1 and #6, those chicks are simply adorable

Thanks everyone, for looking and your kind comments.

= Ed =

...............


Ed, that's me actually speechless.

With no way to put words on them, i'll just point out the two that have me tongue tied.
4th pic is a cover shot for living Bird Magazine..
6th one is the first pic in the leading article..

Amazing.

very cool shots of to me the strangest of the heron/egret crowd. We get a colony of about 70 each Spring along the industrial section of the Cuyahoga river. Yes, that Cuyahoga that caught fire in 1969. These guys can hack it out on the scrubby banks in the shadows of steel mills.
Sam