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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJuly 09, 1961 - Black Crowned Night Herone- 1 0 1 3 f- V) T p BLACK - CROWNED NIGHT HERON Exclusive Sunday Review Sketch by Dennis Puleston of Brookhaven Focus -on Nature by Paul Stoutenburgh Cutchogue As the seasons pass on we are aware of how many city folk have visited our shores and woodlands. It seems to the native that this particular clan of people are always on the move, hurrying here and there, seemingly trying to take in everything there is to be offered. It is a shame, though, that no matter how they try to pack each minute with some new sight, they are bound to miss some of the many wonders this end of the Island has to offer. As a matter of fact, some of these wonders are slowly dis- to adding to bur Christmasc cen- appearing, even to the person sus each year. who knows where to look f or The food of the heron varies them. Such is the case with the from the common killie to frogs, Black- crowned Night Heron and crabs, dragon flies and even an its colonies. occasional mouse. But fish make At one time practically every up 80 per cent of his diet. Watch - town on this end of the Island ing these birds stalk their prey had a heron colony somewhere is a fascinating experience, for along the bays or marshes. These they appear to be in slow mo- colonies were usually situated in tion, each foot being brought up slender oaks in some isolated and laid down methodically. Yet woodland. Although the night I have seen them fishing in the heron's name implies night time, opposite manner, dashing about we often see it wading, along the jabbing here and jabbing there. edges of our creeks during the This must be when the fish are day. in schools and literally covering However, most of the fishing the area. done by this bird, as implied, This bird, like most, has a is done at night. It is then decided ritual of courtship and that we often hear the familiar to see them bowing and swaying quok" in the darkitess. To many. to each other presents quite a this "quok" is the only ass- comedy: Usually the f e m a I e ociation t h e y have with the comes up in review before. the heron. Few have had the pleasure in a 1 e and is accepted or re- of viewing this handsome bird jetted, then the next I i k e 1 y first hand, contestant comes up, until the The back and crown of the right one comes along. head of the heron are dull black The, nest of these Night Her - or a dark greenish -black while ons can hardly be called a nest the wings are a -soft grey. Above at all.' For it is nothing more the long heavy bill is a white than ' a mere handful of sticks patch .that .follows down under precariously assembled. Often I the bird giving it the contrasting have walked through a heronry appearance., and been able to look up and During nesting time, the heron tell how many eggs were in a acquires three white feathers that n e s t by actually l o o k i n g up protrude from the top of h i s through it. head and lay along his back. The Night Heron likes his soli - Often these become entangled and tude when out hunting fish and appear as one. They add just a usually goes many miles from the nesting sight but when itbitofflashtothisalreadydigni- fied wader. A pair of yellow legs comes to raising his young — the and feet complete his dress. . more families the merrier! There should he no confusion The last colony of these birds in identifying the adult b i r d on the North Fork was in River - except perhaps with the closely head and to date I know of no related species — the Yellow- others in this area. It was here crowned Night Heron w h i c h that I went to photograph the is a slightly larger bird. Per- Black- crowned Night Heron and to haps the only confusion would my surprise alsd found a pair be with the young, for they are of Yellow- crowned Night Herons completely different. They are nesting. So delighted was I in finding this rarer birdabrownbirdfleckedwithwhitenesting that I making them easily confused spent most of my time photographing the Yellow- crownedwiththeAmericanBittern. Night Heron. Although these birds generally I do not suggest you visit a migrate to the south each year heron colony if you have a and return the middle of April, weak stomach, because as the it is not unusual to see them lingering through the winter here season progresses and the heat on the Island. As a matter of increases, the odor from t h e accumulation of droppings and fact, just so long as the water h a 1 f- digested fish, that t h e stays clear of ice, these birds young excited birds toss up, can eek out an existence. It is becomes almost unbearable. these birds that we look forward As the young birds gain more strength they start to wander about the trees and it is . not uncommon to find them some distance from their nest. Not only are these colonies being pushed out by man, but they are also being continually harassed by cats, oppussums, raccoons, crows, grackles, etc,. It is little wonder that we are seeing less of a bird that at one time was very common to our shore. Nothing was more pleas- ing than a: stroll down the beach towards evening to see t h e s e birds flying from their roost to their favorite feeding grounds. Sorry are we indeed that fewer and fewer • of us will have the chance to enjoy our Black - crowned Nighf Heron, for surely it is a part of our natural heritage.