It’s hatching season, which means heron chicks are multiplying almost daily at Commodore Park.
It’s been an unusually busy nesting season at Commodore Park, with 42 active nests in the trees of the park and new ones being built every few days. So far, 45 chicks have hatched, according to volunteer heron monitor Eric Lanners.
Herons usually start nesting in February, but this year, the colony began at the end of March, which Heron Habitat Helpers organizer Marla Master says could be due to February’s snow or excessive noise with sewer work happening nearby.
“It is unusual that nests are still being built this late into the season,” Master says.
Many of the chicks, remarkably similar to small fuzzy dinosaurs, are now visible just over the edge of their large nests amongst the trees at the park.
With so many hungry chicks, the colony has been busy fishing at the Locks — Joyce Chase captured the below images.
To celebrate hatching season, the Heron Habitat Helpers will be hosting their annual Heron Chick Birthday Celebration, happening June 15 from 10am to 1pm at Commodore Park. (Follow the Heron Habitat Helpers on Facebook for more details.)
Featured photo by Eric Lanners
Ah good.
Time for all you planet-loving dog parents to bring them down to scare and harass the birds!
Reminder: most beaches in the area are wildlife preserves, and while it isn’t enforced (like everything else in Seattle) dogs aren’t allowed in these preserves, no matter how entitled you feel to do so.
Hey, fun fact: herons only have 2 sexes.
CH – can you ever stay on topic? And when was the last time you posted anything positive?
Maybe you might want to take a walk down by the Lock and take a look at these wonderful birds and relax.
Son, that’s where all our salmon are going. The cormorants are the worst. That, and the seal I saw in t fish ladder last year.
“Our” salmon?
Son, let me educate you some more… you seem to be naive on how this works. The salmon smolts exiting the locks are hatchery production, raised and released by WDFW and paid by the taxpayers… they are “ours.” “We” do this to to maintain this salmon run, else it wouldn’t otherwise exist. When unchecked predation impacts seaward migration, this has a dramatic impact on the returning run size.
I saw two seals in the locks just two weeks ago. I may be mistaken but I think that WDFW considers pinnipeds the greater threat.
These photos are stunning. Heron Habitat Helpers are doing excellent work, thank you.
Freja – I have many photos of these nests and videos, but I can’t post them here. :(
I was over there today the chicks are very noisy, the whole thing looks very prehistoric! Like pterodactyls flying in and feeding their young. Amazing. Worth the trip to the Locks and the maneuvering around the crowds. FWIW if you come in from the Magnolia side you don’t have to fight the crowds of people standing on the walkways at the locks.
Thank you! I’ll check it out tomorrow when the weekenders are gone!
Tweet tweet!