Today, April 25, 2020, the Yellow-Crowned Night Herons in one of the 3 nests was creating what I call "a safe playpen" for the chicks. The male finds just-right sticks to build up the edges of the nest to prevent any falls (like this one).
He brings the twig. She receives it. (I loosely identify him and her based on the more mustard appearance of their yellow crowns, signifying female. Both sexes brood.)
Then I watch as they trade it back and forth before weaving it into the nest to create a sturdier structure.
According to Birds of the World (Cornell), there is no information about pipping and hatching. If similar to Black Crowned Night Herons, chicks hatch 24 hours after pipping.
I think we will see blue eggshells cast over the edge of the nest soon.
(I read that YCNHs incubate oriented into the wind. Yesterday, during a rain break, I checked. That was what I saw yesterday.)
