I’m concerned about the effects of the wind on the wildlife scene here on the Island. Earlier we saw some great blue herons begin their nest-building rituals, in tall pines between our two lakes in Inverness Village. I photographed this heron in his come-hither pose last week, and for almost a week we saw a pair of great blues working on the nest and otherwise spending time together throughout the day. They fished together, flew in tight circles around our two lakes, and always ended up back at the nesting site in that tall pine. But it seems that activity has been put on pause or perhaps even on hold as the cold wind blew in this week. It wasn’t only cold, it was cold and windy.
We had two days of cold temperatures (40s and low 50s, cold for here this time of year) and strong winds with high surf advisories, and I found it miserable walking the dogs in the storm. Tree branches came down, leaves and pine needles blew everywhere, and it was just generally unpleasant to be outside. I noticed that all during the storm we saw no great blues or egrets or little blues or anhingas feeding in our lakes, so they must have been uncomfortable with the weather just as we were. I don’t know where they went, but surely there are safe havens from storms such as this, else the population of birds would be decimated.
It is bothersome to note that the great blue herons are not at their nesting site this morning, even though the wind has stopped and the temperature is already almost 70 deg in mid-morning. I did see a single heron fly in for fishing the lake well after daylight today, so I’m hoping the pair will return and resume their nesting ritual in the big pine between our lakes. Several limbs are down from that pine, but I can still see the cluster of sticks which serves as a nesting site in the fork of one large branch of the tree. But the birds haven’t been up there this morning, at least not while I’ve been out. Maybe it’s “fishing first, have some breakfast, and then get back to housekeeping.” Come to think of it, I’d probably choose those priorities myself!
It has been my experience over the years that if wind or something else damages a nest, many birds will rebuild at the same site. Others will move and build a nest elsewhere. The real problem occurs if the eggs are in the nest or little ones, that is the making of a disaster. Even so, some birds will raise a new brood quickly.
Maybe this situation will turn out ok and you will be able to walk under an active nest and have your reward – get pooped on.
NO…these birds are Tom’s friends; they would never poop on him…unless that is considered a blessing from on high…