Great Blue Heron - Low Nest

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

Whiskeyman

Whiskeyman

Well-known member
Supporting Member
Marketplace
Member's gallery
This Great Blue Heron is on the lowest GBH nest I've ever witnessed. The rim of the nest is only about 6-7 feet above the water. I got an eye-to-eye viewing experience with this one.

GBH on Nest-101.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.


Of course, the water is filled with alligators.

W
 
Member's gallery
Steve said:
Unique shot for sure. I gotta ask - was it at Circle-B? There's a pair that nest low like that there.
Click to expand...
Why yes, it was at C-B-B Reserve. If I remember correctly, it was off of Alligator Alley, near the Lake Hancock pavilion.

You've obviously seen them. Have you ever seen another GBH nest at this level, anywhere? I believe that there were some close to this level at Wakodahatchee when I was last there in 2014, but not so near to the boardwalk as this one was to the trail.

W
 
Member's gallery
Whiskeyman said:
Why yes, it was at C-B-B Reserve. If I remember correctly, it was off of Alligator Alley, near the Lake Hancock pavilion.

You've obviously seen them. Have you ever seen another GBH nest at this level, anywhere? I believe that there were some close to this level at Wakodahatchee when I was last there in 2014, but not so near to the boardwalk as this one was to the trail.

W
Click to expand...
Yup, we're talking about the same nest :)

Other than wakodahatchee, I've never seen one that low. Most heron nests I've seen are at the tops of trees.

Now, I just have to get my timing right so I'm there when they actually have chicks. :)
 
Member's gallery
gordon_g said:
@Steve and @Whiskeyman There used to be one in the Venice Rookery as well. I got a couple shoots but they didn't come out very well because of the brush and the mom standing in front of the kiddo.
Click to expand...

I haven't been to the Venice rookery, but I will visit there one of these days. It would not surprise me to find out that Gatorland had GBH nests at that level as well. The GBH nests are all waaay! high in the tops of pines and cypress trees around the area where I live, in Okaloosa County, Florida.

I'm going to take a week or two for a road trip and hit the best spots around Florida, hopefully next February/March. I'll hit Wako/Green Cay, Circle-B, Viera, Venice, the Gatorlands, St Marks, Merritt Island, Fakahatchee Strand, etc. (Have to visit the Alachua/Marion/Putnam County area, for at least two days, too. Maybe I should take three weeks!) My travel bill will likely be almost as much as a good used 600mm f4...o_O

W
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
Steve said:
Yup, we're talking about the same nest :)

Other than wakodahatchee, I've never seen one that low. Most heron nests I've seen are at the tops of trees.

Now, I just have to get my timing right so I'm there when they actually have chicks. :)
Click to expand...

I've been to Circle-B in late February and the GBH chicks were still on the nests, but were quite large and about to fledge; and annoyingly noisy! The Sandhill Crane colts were still fairly young, though.

Sandhill Crane Colt-101.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.


W
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
Whiskeyman said:
I've been to Circle-B in late February and the GBH chicks were still on the nests, but were quite large and about to fledge; and annoying noisy! The Sandhill Crane colts were still fairly young, though.

W
Click to expand...

Love it when those little colts are running around! Got a cute one in the grass last year (or maybe the year before).
 
Member's gallery
Whiskeyman said:
I haven't been to the Venice rookery, but I will visit there one of these days. It would not surprise me to find out that Gatorland had GBH nests at that level as well. The GBH nests are all waaay! high in the tops of pines and cypress trees around the area where I live, in Okaloosa County, Florida.

I'm going to take a week or two for a road trip and hit the best spots around Florida, hopefully next February/March. I'll hit Wako/Green Cay, Circle-B, Viera, Venice, the Gatorlands, St Marks, Merritt Island, Fakahatchee Strand, etc. (Have to visit the Alachua/Marion/Putnam County area, for at least two days, too. Maybe I should take three weeks!) My travel bill will likely be almost as much as a good used 600mm f4...o_O

W
Click to expand...
Best time to go that is usually when I visit Florida end of feb.... there is something to photograph everywhere. I heard that veira hasn’t been the same... but it’s been years since I’ve been there.
 
Member's gallery
gordon_g said:
Best time to go that is usually when I visit Florida end of feb.... there is something to photograph everywhere. I heard that veira hasn’t been the same... but it’s been years since I’ve been there.
Click to expand...

Late February is a good time to visit save one thing. The hotels are ex-pens-ive!

However, the wildlife, especially birds, seems to be at a very high activity level then. I've gone to Central Florida for a day to photograph birds of prey over the last couple of years. Late April/Early May was too late, and Early February was too early.

I went to Viera once, about four years ago, and it was at the wrong time. There was very little wildlife activity at the wetlands. I've not been, but have heard the the Orlando Wetlands, east of Orlando, is a good place for wildlife photography.

W
 
Member's gallery
Whiskeyman said:
Late February is a good time to visit save one thing. The hotels are ex-pens-ive!

However, the wildlife, especially birds, seems to be at a very high activity level then. I've gone to Central Florida for a day to photograph birds of prey over the last couple of years. Late April/Early May was too late, and Early February was too early.

I went to Viera once, about four years ago, and it was at the wrong time. There was very little wildlife activity at the wetlands. I've not been, but have heard the the Orlando Wetlands, east of Orlando, is a good place for wildlife photography.

W
Click to expand...

I'll have to keep that one in mind... I haven't been there before. You are right on the Hotels though!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.
Back
Top