Time for baby herons to feed, fight to survive
The James River is finally dropping to normal water levels for spring. During the months of April and May, the great blue heron babies have hatched and are feeding in their nests. Pipeline Rapids Walkway is the best place to be able to watch feeding in the nests, and the Floodwall Walk offers another vantage […]
The James River is finally dropping to normal water levels for spring. During the months of April and May, the great blue heron babies have hatched and are feeding in their nests. Pipeline Rapids Walkway is the best place to be able to watch feeding in the nests, and the Floodwall Walk offers another vantage point to see the heron fishing.
From the James River Park System:
This is the height of the fish migration — shad and herring in particular — so food is as plentiful as it will ever be. Adults regurgitate partly digested fish into the beaks of the babies. Later, however, they place it in the middle of the nest and let the fledglings fight over it. In years with little food, the youngest one or two will always starve. In this way, the population reflects the capacity of the environment, and the survivors are fully healthy. Look for youngsters peering out of the nests and later walking around on the nest. See if you can spot the ring of white around the edges of some nests where weak or timid youngsters failed to squirt their droppings over the rim.
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