Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron landing in the Bear River, UtahJuvenile Black-crowned Night Heron landing in the Bear River – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

In my post yesterday I mentioned that the Snowy Egrets that I photographed at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge were avoiding a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron, this is that heron. The heron flew in a few minutes after I started photographing the egrets and as it landed it had the egrets squawking and moving around to avoid it.

Immature Black-crowned Night Heron stretching a wing, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, UtahAn immature Black-crowned Night Heron stretching a wing – Nikon D810, f8, 1/1000, ISO 400, -1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Juvenile Black-crowned Herons are shaped like the adults but their plumage doesn’t look at all like mature herons do. You can see a few adult Black-crowned Night Herons here in my gallery.

Juvenile Black-crowned Heron in a defensive posture at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, UtahA juvenile Black-crowned Heron in an aggressive posture – Nikon D810, f8, 1/800, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

This juvenile Black-crowned Heron was aggressive towards the Snowy Egrets several times and even made the egrets move off the rocks that it seemed to want to perch on to look for prey. I saw other juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons when I was at the refuge two days ago but this was the only one close enough to obtain high quality images of.

You just never know what you will see at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge because the cast of characters changes every day.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Black-crowned Night Heron photos plus facts and information about this species.