The Daily Bucket is a regular feature of the Backyard Science group. It is a place to note of any observations you have made of the world around you. Insects, weather, meteorites, climate, birds and/or flowers. All are worthy additions to the bucket. Please let us know what is going on around you in a comment. Include, as close as is comfortable for you, where you are located. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the patterns that are quietly unwinding around us.
|
Lake Chabot (Castro Valley), CA; 5/5/2012
Continued below the orange heron's nest
As many of you know, there is a Great Blue Heron colony at Lake Chabot. I have reported on it before, most recently Here.
My wife and I had to miss some observing sessions during which the nest count as observed by others rose to 8 active and probable nests. We were able to participate in the observing session on May 5th at which time there were 4 nests that can be definitely declared to be active.
There were a number of herons flying back and forth performing feeding duties, so the number of adults in the area exceeds those on the nests, but we saw 5 adults on or at nests, 3 singles and a pair. We are also able to say with certainty that there were 4 babies, consisting of two sets of two. One of the adults was sitting down low in its nest the entire time, so it is very likely still incubating one or more eggs.
So, that's it 4 nests, 4 hatchlings and 5 adults
So, what's in your backyard?
Please post your observations along with the general location in the comments. Thank you.