March 3, 2019
The courting and nest building begins.
March 13, 2019
Courting includes mating which happens multiple times and over days. YCNHs eggs can hatch a week apart.
March 14, 2019
Such sweetness in this beak tip touch and dance to continue their species.
Early yesterday I watched these two adjust the twigs in their nest, walk around the nest, pause occasionally next to each other, their feathered bodies against each other, and end that circling with a beak-tip touch.
The female faces us and we see the male's beautiful back blue feathers.
This photograph catches the male Yellow Crown Night Heron just before he lifts off in search of the next twig and her in a squawk of delight.
March 15, 2019
So, in my view, it is hard work to build a nest. Doing whatever needs to be done. Flying high for just the right twig.
March 16, 2019
As we know, after the commitment is the hard work to build a relationship. Flying off, he lands on a tree within her view, tugs a twig from a branch and flies back. From his beak to hers she weaves it into the nest. Twig by twig, a place to hold the eggs and, eventually, lively hatchlings. I watched for an hour near sunset. They continued beyond dark.
March 21, 2019
So, every day I look. I can tell you that building a relationship twig by twig has its problems. If you're a Yellow Crown Night Heron, it's not just the windy rain, it's corvids--crows and bluejays--who either playfully or annoyingly do this: boldly take a twig from their nest.
Why oh why we can ask.
But let's save our breath. It happens.
As if these birds bring lessons, may I remember that we all have inside of us a cadre of capabilities for a response. Like diligence, persistence, and, gut courage to just stay with the task no matter the distraction. And where does the strength come from? My guess is tender support. I noticed that in between twig handoffs (oh yes, the twig fetching and weaving continues), they preen and place their heads against each other. This just after the crow snatch.
I'm glad I got a photograph to show you. So beautiful.
March 28, 2019
Not a fancy photo. No stunning plumage or winged flight. Just "as it is."
Which can be everything—you know, being with whatever is before us just as it is.
I watch YCNH every day. It is NOW DAY 9 that mama has been flat on the eggs. Not sleeping, awake and softly alert. Incubation is like a meditation retreat, I swear. No leaving. Diligence in staying no matter what arises.
The opposite of retreat will happen in 3 weeks and like all hardship, that incubation period has an effect. Mama's stillness will enliven into practice. To sum it up, a union of wisdom + experience. Or as my pals say—two wings of a bird.
March 31, 2019
I am learning that anything can be a support for meditation or as meditation friend Tim Olmsted says, "chilling out." So, I head out to sit with a soft gaze upward onto the YCNH nest. Gentle attention. The instruction is to be relaxed and alert.
I sit, relax, and look at nest. Softly looking. I hear a cardinal chirp, see pine needles rustle against a setting sun sky, and notice my breath going out.
I practice for more than an hour, joining Mama in her incubation retreat.
And then...
Mama STANDS UP. I stand, too, and take this photograph. Not quite a minute passes before she sinks back onto the eggs below my view. This photo of that lovely moment is for you.
April 1, 2019
Love begets love.
Believe it or not, on a tree limb above the Yellow Crowned Night Heron pair I've posted here, there is a new couple!
Their nest building is a struggle, like in this photo where he is trying to get that big twig around a vertical branch. Just the feat of flying that twig to her. But now to weave it into the beginning of a nest. Tirelessly, he yanks and yanks.
Then a break from the work.
And that's when I took this photograph to show his head resting against her body.
As the sun set, he continued to work to place that twig. I took one more photograph and caught him resting. Him? Remember, her yellow crown is mottled with grey.
