Hi Andy,

I checked the Night Heron site today as well and saw the newcomers - which 
appeared to be starting a nest further towards the parkway than last year's 
nest.  Last year, a second pair also showed up and made a stab at building a 
nest, but their efforts came to grief presumably because of relentless bad 
(very wet) weather.  I hope this year is different.

Other Yellow-crowned Night Herons have nested further downstream along Sligo 
Creek in years past, but I haven't found any of those nests for a couple 
years - though they may still be there. Once the foliage comes in, these 
nests are really hard to find.  I suspect other nest sites are out there, 
such as somewhere in Wheaton Regional Park, and we know that they nest in 
the vicinity of Hughes Hollow.  Who knows why they picked Sligo Creek??? 
Though I remember a pair that nested in downtown Charleton, South Carolina 
several years ago amidst the hustle and bustle of a big city.  And look at 
the Black-crowns at the Zoo.

Tom Stock
Silver Spring

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andy Martin" <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2005 6:50 PM
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Yellow-crowns return to Sligo Creek


> Thomas Stock wrote:
>
>>This morning, I spotted a pair of Yellow-crowned Night Herons at the nest 
>>site along Sligo Creek just upstream from the tennis courts at Sligo Creek 
>>Parkway and Piney Branch Road.  The pair was perched on the old nest from 
>>last year - the nest and birds are visible from a footbridge that crosses 
>>the creek near the tennis courts.  I've been monitoring the site carefully 
>>this spring - this morning (in a real downpour) is the first time I've 
>>spotted them.
>>Tom Stock Silver Spring
>>
> Tom,
>
> Went to Sligo Creek this morning.  An additional pair of YCNHs has joined 
> the first two.   Have you ever had more than 2 pair nesting here in years 
> past?  If  I remember correctly, only 2 pair were reported last year.
> Do you think it would be likely that most stream valleys in Mont. Cty. 
> have a few nesting YCNH's?   The breeding bird atlas only reports possible 
> nesting of Yellow-crowns from a 2 other places in the county.  No offense 
> to Sligo Creek but the place hardly seems unique but then again I'm not a 
> YCNH.
>
> Andy Martin
> Gaithersburg
> 
>