The local Great Blue Heron colony is buzzing right now, with 50-plus nests high in the trees above Commodore Park.
Deborah Jacobsen from Heron Habitat Helpers says there are about 80 herons in the colony at Commodore Park right now, mating and incubating their eggs, which she says will be hatching in mid- to late-April.
“To find an incubating heron, look closely for tail feathers sticking out of one side of the nest or an orange beak sticking out of the other,” Jacobsen says.
“Other couples are courting by cooing, stretching their necks, showing off their plumage, and soaring to the nest with a stick or branch in their beak. Others seem to sword fight by lunging at each other and clicking their beaks together, but it’s really a courtship ritual.”
If you want to check out the herons, bring a set of binoculars, and remember to maintain appropriate social distancing.
Photos: Beth Shepherd Photography
