THE SUMMER OF GREEN HERONS

PART 2: THOSE PESKY TEEN WEEKS

Since a green heron goes from egg yolk to responsible adult in four weeks, it doesn’t get much time to wallow in adolescence. It has places to go and feathers to grow. First come those spiky practice feathers, then the adult finery. When those lovely emerald feathers come in, the young ‘un needs to preen away the baby fuzz. That is a lot of work. It’s fortunate they have a long, flexible neck and tweezer beaks.

When you’re built like an ostrich, you’re not exactly aerodynamic. Watching 10-day-old Green Herons learn to walk is like watching the Flying Wallendas do a show after Rush Limbaugh has slipped something into their breakfast shakes. They tumble through the willows, grabbing a twig just in time. They walk out on a branch until it bends, flap their wings furiously, and stumble back to the nest.

Mom is still providing meals at this point, and the babies raise a hullabaloo when she comes in for a landing.

As I paddled to one side of the tree, they’d scamper to the other side. I’d row around, and they’d hurry back. But within a day or two, they simply ignored me and went about their business.

There is so much for a Green Heron to learn in the weeks two to four. Flying. Procuring food. Procreating. Avoiding predators. About that predator thing––one morning there were just three herons in the tree. I searched the branches, the nest, the ground, the pond. No trace of those little ones. Sad to report they never were seen again. A raccoon, coyote, or hawk had a tasty dinner. It's not always easy to deal with animal behavior; sometimes they act just like humans.

Tomorrow: Green Herons, Part 3: Whatcha Doin'?