[Umpqua Birds] Black-crowned Night-Herons, Melrose
- From: Matthew G Hunter <matthewghunter@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 19 May 2014 14:24:34 -0700
HI Folks,
This morning after breakfast I took a short walk outside just to do a
5-minute count, see what's around, and then get on with my day. With
intentions for just a quick stroll I did not take either my binoculars
(much of my birding is by ear) or my camera.
A couple minutes into my wandering I heard a distant call 3 or 4 times
that sounded like a Black-crowned Night-Heron--they have a distinctive
"aouw" or "ouwk" sound--but it seemed improbable and I am over 3/4 mile
from a river and I've never had them here at the house... and...and....
So, I finally stopped and listened intently. My breakfast grumbled and made
an "ow" sound in my tummy and I said to myself, ... that's what it was. So
I started walking again, and then I heard the sound louder, twice, and it
still sounded like a Black-crowned Night-Heron, and right then I saw two
Night-Herons on the very top of a cedar tree about 200 ft north of me next
to the neighbor's driveway, large and blocky compared to a Green Heron. One
heron took off flying to the east, calling, and the other stood there
perched on top of the tree for another 15 seconds or so, then took off
following the same path as the other bird to the east. They called until
they were out of sight. I was in the process of kicking myself for not
having my camera (I could have gotten some identifiable photos in the tree
and in flight), when I heard one calling again, this time to the southeast
of me and coming west. This could have been one of the same birds that
circled around and came back farther south, I don't know. This bird landed
in the tip top of a very large and tall Ponderosa Pine, calling, so I
dashed in the house for my camera, but by the time I came out it had
launched off to the west. I waited around for a while, but did not see or
hear them any more.
There are only a few May records of Black-crowned Night-Herons for Douglas
County that I'm aware of, and I'm not sure if there are any this late. The
behavior of these birds--calling and landing in the tops of trees, going
west, then going east--makes me wonder... What in the world were they
doing? What is their breeding status? Are they migrants? Are they nesting
nearby? In an average year in eastern Oregon this would be an egg-laying or
nestling period. Were they perhaps nesting nearby and something disturbed
them? Were they non-breeders "summering" locally, getting restless?
I have always wondered if they actually nest somewhere in the county, but
the question remains to be answered. If anyone has any insight on the
status of these birds based on their behavior, timing, or anything else,
I'd be interested to hear. Thanks!
"Ouwk,"
Matt Hunter
Melrose, OR
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