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Update on GB Herons at Cub Creek, Jordan Lake



On Sunday, May 5th, a group of five observers
undertook the now challenging task of counting the
young herons at Cub Creek.  We counted 38 young, along
with 47 adults, although there were undoubtedly more
young hiding in the nests.  The counters were Alan
Johnston, Cynthia Woodsong, Kate MacQueen, Jonah
Leslie and Allison Price.  We counted 58 nests in
total, although on nine of the nests there was no
apparent activity.  The nests with no activity tended
to be some newer nests which had recently (in the last
three weeks) been built at the edge of the colony. 
The young herons varied greatly in size, from some
juveniles now four weeks old to some babies only a few
days old.  On three of the nests we counted four young
herons.  Since the nests are so high in the trees it
is difficult to see the young unless they are moving
around or standing up.  So there could easily have
been many more young nestled under the sitting adults,
and there could even be some eggs not yet hatched.  We
are keeping a map of the nests in an attempt to get an
accurate count by the end of the breeding season.  It
is difficult to concentrate on the nests with so many
other birds flitting around, including perhaps a dozen
red-headed woodpeckers.  Another highlight of the
morning was a red fox which went running by on the
other side of the creek.

Alan Johnston
Chapel Hill, NC
alanj46@yahoo.com

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