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Yellow-crowned Night Heron: Sligo Creek Nests

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Mon, 2 Apr 2007 10:42:55 -0500

On my drive to Silver Spring Metro this morning, I checked on the Yellow-crowned Night Heron nests along Sligo Creek Parkway between Colesville Road and New Hampshire Avenue. There has been and continues to be extensive road work - resurfacing - taking place along this stretch of the Parkway. This work may have led to the failure of one nest, as detailed below.

Moving downstream from Colesville Road, the first nest site (one nest) is directly over the Parkway just beyond Wayne Avenue before a parking lot that at least this morning was being used as a staging area for construction equipment. On March 26, there were two birds at this site. The day after construction started, March 28, there were no birds, and I have not seen any activity at this nest since. 

The next nest site (two nests) is over the creek just upstream from the tennis courts near the intersection of the Parkway and Piney Branch Road. I observed two birds there this morning. It appears that just one nest is active.

The next nest site (one nest) was not active last year. It is directly over the Parkway 0.45 mile downstream from the intersection of the Parkway and Piney Branch Road (just upstream from the intersection of the Parkway and Park Valley Rd.). I observed three birds there this morning. Might these be the birds that attempted to settle upstream near Wayne Avenue?

The last nest site (one nest) is directly over the Parkway before a big curve in the road and about 50 yards upstream from where Hayward Drive intersects the Parkway. I observed two birds there this morning. 

I would love to hear from anyone who finds any other nests along the creek in this area. Thanks!

Tom Stock
Silver Spring