Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron on ice – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
Last week I mentioned in my post on the Great Egret resting in snow that Great Blue and Black-crowned Night Herons are year round residents here in northern Utah and I wanted to post another one of our wading birds in the winter today. These wading birds have to be tough to survive the cold and find food when the water is frozen over and prey is hard to find.
On a January morning in 2013 I photographed this juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron on ice for about a half an hour at Farmington Bay. I photographed it for so long that I could see the thin layer of frost on the ice melt in a circular pattern around its feet.
Last winter I didn’t see Black-crowned Herons very often and that could have been because the winter was so mild and the herons could easily hunt in the marshes without being seen. This past week to ten days I have seen several juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons at Farmington Bay and that might be happening because of the thick layer of snow we have had. I haven’t gotten images of them out in the open as much as this juvenile was when I photographed it but I must admit it is nice to see these stocky night herons again in the winter.
Warm temps the last few days melted some of the snow that fell last week but the forecast for this week looks snowy and it might even be a white Christmas.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Black-crowned Night Heron photos plus facts and information about this species.
Another beautiful winter image. I agree it looks like a white Christmas — very good.
Wow. Awe and wonder.
Always amazing how tough birds and all must be to survive and how adaptable they all are. He could pass for a sundial, Mia, casting his long shadow of winter. Thank you. 🙂
Lovely capture, Mia!! I love the Night herons and was thrilled to get some photos of one at the Green Cay Wetlands and Nature Center in Boynton Beach, FL last winter- my favorite place to walk and view wildlife. Yesterday I got an even greater prize – a Roseate Spoonbill!! As you would say – Life is Good!!