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Jess. ( Lady.D.) | profile | all galleries >> Beacon Hill Park Heronry 2007 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow | map

Beacon Hill Park Heronry 2007


Spent some restful days in Victoria, capitol city of British Columbia. One of the main attractions for me is the heronry in Beacon Hill Park the large city park in down town. The Great Blue Herons nest here and it is amazing to me that they do so well in a area very close to the busy road and high-rise apartments with hundreds of people passing under their nests day after day. The people of Victoria are very considerate of their beloved GBH. I spent a few hours taking photographs, they are nesting a bit late this year so it was an experience to watch the courtship behaviour with the male flying off to gather twigs, bringing them back for the female to work into a nest. Eagles also nest in the park and the racket the herons make when an eagle flies over sounds like a freight train. Eagles take many eggs and chicks. Last year at this time when I was down in Victoria there were chicks hatched but this year the nest building and courtship displays were fascinating to watch.
Jess.
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Great Blue Herons
Update. June 2008
They called her Birdzilla. During one weekend last year ( 2007) just after these photos were taken, a elderly female eagle bullied more than a hundred nesting herons in Beacon Hill Park from their rookery. conservatively estimates are that the eagle ate 39 chicks and at least 187 eggs. the herons have not returned this year to nest. When we were down last weekend the heronry was abandoned, not one GBH has returned to this large ( over 80 nests) nesting site in downtown Victoria. I was heartbroken

The GBH Dance of Love.
The GBH Dance of Love.		 The Dance continues
The Dance continues		 Come-on chick lets Boogie!
Come-on chick lets Boogie!		 And where were you last night?
"And where were you last night?"
What's a headache
"What's a headache"		 No means NO buster!
"No means NO buster!"		 Getting coy!
Getting coy!		 Alls well that ends well
Alls well that ends well
Honey I'm Home
"Honey I'm Home"		 On the Nest
On the Nest		 GBH Nesting Pair
GBH Nesting Pair		 Keeping look out
Keeping look out
Aerial Ballet
Aerial Ballet		 Don't know what all the fuss is about
"Don't know what all the fuss is about"		 GBH In Flight
GBH In Flight		 A Year in the life of a Heronry
A Year in the life of a Heronry

comment
Christian Kuiphoff PM reply 14-Apr-2011 23:47
Great series Jess!
Ruth Chao PM reply 23-Oct-2008 14:34
Fantastic and very interesting images. Love your creative and witty titles that make your photos stand out even more- it was so fun to view your gallery. I'm looking forward to more.

V,
Ruth
XXX
Marcia Fasy PM reply 28-Jan-2008 19:37
Wonderful series, what a great catch!
Glen Allen PM reply 12-Jan-2008 01:48
excellent series of images.. Great work
Dennis PM reply 27-Nov-2007 00:02
...super gallery...will be back to check more.
Cheers !
Jean D PM reply 21-Oct-2007 01:00
WOW! Excellent and awesome collection of GBH at the heronry! All, well captured!
Martin Schiff PM reply 30-Sep-2007 20:14
Very nice gallery.
Guest PM reply 03-Jun-2007 08:04
magnifique
Kirk Friederich of Eventphotography PM reply 28-May-2007 19:19
Very well done!!!
Suzette A Paduano PM reply 28-May-2007 10:48
Yes these are fabulous!!
Wonderful shots!
Raymond Schreeuwer (Rafi) PM reply 28-May-2007 06:54
These are fabulous..
Les Case and Dilly L PM reply 26-May-2007 22:07
Jess

Another stunning collection

Les + v
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