Date:         Tue, 28 Mar 2000 19:49:57 -0500
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Howard Youth <hmyouth@EROLS.COM>
Subject:      Tuesday Night-heron Fever
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Just got back from the Zoo, where, as expected, the night-heron mating ga=
me
is well underway. It seems the entire cast is back. I was counting the
herons with one eye and watching my daughter toddle around with the other=
,
but I'm guessing there are between 350 and 400 birds. (That jibes with th=
e
estimate of 200 pairs that I remember hearing from Zoo folks.) The colony=
's
been growing and still centers on the Birdhouse Wetlands Exhibit (where
plenty of wild wood ducks also mingle with the waterfowl collection). I
didn't have binos with me, and couldn't carefully scan the many circling
and perching herons (many flying around with sticks in their bills), but
now's the time to check for a yellow-crowned among the masses. Soon the
leaves will fill in the scene, but for now it's just bare branches and
bunches of night-herons.

Howard Youth
hmyouth@erols.com
Rockville, MD

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