This morning at 9:30, I found three Yellow-crowned Night Herons roosting at their now traditional nest site along Sligo Creek Parkway in Silver Spring. Because these birds have shown a high tolerance for disturbance in the past, I will post detailed directions to the site: 
 
The nests are along Sligo Creek Parkway between Wayne Avenue and Piney Branch Road - two near the tennis courts, upstream from the courts and visible looking upstream from a hiker/biker bridge that crosses the creek about 50 yards upstream from the tennis court parking lot; and one closer to Wayne Avenue and a second parking lot directly over Sligo Creek Parkway (no birds at this nest this morning).  
 
A fourth nest was active last year near where Sligo Creek Parkway intersects with Flower Avenue (close to New Hampshire Avenue near a playground, and over the Parkway where it loops in a near 180 degree arc).  
 
Signs in along the stretch of Parkway between Wayne & Piney Branch indicate roadwork is about to begin along that stretch. I hope this will not disturb the birds and interfere with their nesting.  
 
I have been checking for these birds every day for at least two weeks. I can say with confidence that this is their arrival date - a few days earlier than last year.  
 
Tom Stock 
Silver Spring 
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry