Recent Findings in September 2025

Most of the summer, I have been looking for the Black-crowned Night-Heron in London and I finally saw the adult this week.  It was across the pond in a tree. They winter in Southern United States, Mexico and Central America.  (distant photo)

Black-crowned Night-Heron

I have seen few more Monarchs migrating this week.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Northern Cardinal

It is really looking like Fall.

Some Birding First Week of July 2024

Here are some birds I saw through the first week of July 2024

Black-crowned Night Heron (immature)

I was watching the Osprey's nest...see one chick might be another one behind it.  

Barn Swallow

Spotted Sanpiper

I went to the airport to find the Northern Mockingbird.  The first bird I saw was the Mockingbird on a wire.  Also saw, Savannah Sparrows, a Grasshopper Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlarks, Barn Swallows, 2 Ospreys at their nest on one of the high towers, Eastern Kingbird, Red-winged Blackbirds, American Goldfinches, Killdeers,  Song Sparrows, Mourning Doves, and many Starlings.

Northern Mockingbird

Eastern Meadowlark

Northern Uplands Wetland

Least Sandpiper

Solitary Sandpiper

Black-crowned Night-Heron

I've seen the Black-crowned Night-Heron for several years during late summers.  This year I never found it.  Finally, October 24 & 25, I was able to see the juvenile on a branch over the water partly hidden.  The adults are mostly gray-black and white with long white head plumes.  The juvenile is mostly white and brown.  They winter in Mexico and Central America.  I'm thinking the parents have already left.  This fellow should be leaving shortly.

I've seen some hawks around the area.  The Cooper's Hawk and the Red-tailed Hawk.  A few Turkey Vultures are still migrating.

Cooper's Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Turkey Vulture

Recent Outings - Final Week of June 2021

 Week of June 28, 2021

While birding as I mentioned before I'm looking for butterflies, too.  I got my first Eastern Tailed-Blue in Hyde Park.  Sulphurs are starting to appear as I saw a couple of Clouded Sulphurs.  I also saw first of the year Common Wood Nymph.  There were lots of them flying around this week.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Silver-spotted Skipper

Cabbage White

Common Wood Nymph

I was delighted to see the Black-crowned Night Heron.  They are very hard to find in the trees behind all the leaves.  They are a smaller heron, a little bigger than a Green Heron.  They are stocky with short legs.  There are a pair at the Coves..... with one baby maybe two.

Black-crowned Night Heron

Here are some other photos I took this week.

Great Blue Heron

American Robin

Song Sparrow

Mallard with her ducklings

Midland Painted Turtle

Admiring Herons

July 28, 2020 - The Coves, ESA

It was a quiet day...didn't see too many birds.  The Great Blue Herons were very vocal today.  I saw four of them.

This past week birders had found Black-crowned Night-Herons in the Coves.  Every time I go to the Coves, I am looking for them and Green Herons.  I have not seen a Green Heron yet this year.
I feel so lucky today as I saw 3 Black-crowned Night-Herons.  There were 2 adults and one juvenile.  It's rare for me to find good birds like this.  I had no idea where they were in the Coves.  They came flying out of the trees following a Great Blue Heron.  I don't know if they were chasing it or just flying around together but they were very vocal.  They landed on a dead tree.

Adult and a juvenile

The Black-crowned Night-Heron is half the size of a Great Blue Heron.

juvenile

The Great Blue Heron was below the juvenile and looking up at it.

The Black-crowned Night-Herons flew over to the other side of the pond high in the trees.  The Great Blue Heron flew off to another tree.

The other adult

It was very entertaining watching the herons today.  If you read my blog, you can tell I love herons.