4 years and still so much to learn

Female YCNH preens before courtship.

After 4 years watching Yellow-Crowned Night Herons, I continue to learn.

On my walk to their nesting sight, look: bird stands on the treetop bathed in the rising sun.

When I arrived, I saw multiple pairs in the process of deciding which tree and where in the tree to create a nest, and oh yes, who to create with.

I got a lesson in cultivating attention.

And another lesson in how to gather twigs. It takes balance.

Sometimes it takes aerial gymnastics.

Fascinating and new for my observation: I saw a second male contribute to the making of the nest while the female's partner was away. It seems that when building a nest, help is accepted (she accepted the twigs). Female YCNH (standing in the nest) vocalizes about what happened when partner returned after being away.

Part of my birding ritual is to spend a few minutes upon returning home in the butterfly garden next to our place. Surprise! One of the two dozen sunflower seeds I planted germinated. The rest of the seeds? Probably found by the resident-tongue-sticking-out squirrel.