The wild night herons at the zoo also prefer trees over path ways.   
The keepers rig ropes in those trees and "rattle" them if they see  
herons trying to nest in them.
There are lots of wild wood ducks in the ponds by the bird house at  
the Zoo!  There is even a family with chicks.  Two (zoo) flamingoes  
hatched last week in the exhibit and the parents are feeding them so  
the keepers are letting them stay with the flock.
sj
Adelphi
On Jun 25, 2011, at 8:09 PM, Patricia Wood wrote:

> I live near Piney Branch and Sligo Creek and have always til this  
> year had these herons nesting nearby, so I've missed seeing them in  
> their usual places, like just up from the tennis courts over the  
> stream (and I think not coincidentally, near the playground).   
> Today, I went for a walk starting just past Schuyler Rd (spelling?),  
> the opposite direction to my usual walks.  I noticed whitewash on  
> the sidewalk, looked up, and saw a nest, right over my head.   
> Couldn't tell at first if occupied, so walked a little, enjoyed  
> watching two flickers feasting on ripe mulberries (didn't realize  
> they ate berries), came back, and there was a young night heron  
> preening itself on the edge of the nest!  Yea!
>
> And it got better. After I'd watched awhile, I saw it step back into  
> the nest and hunker down, and admired how well it blended into the  
> nest.  Seeing that, I realized there could have been a 2nd juv. up  
> there and I wouldn't see it.  Just as I was about to leave, one of  
> the adults came back, and perched on the limb, looking out at the  
> street.   Nobody stood up to greet the parent, while I was there, so  
> I couldn't tell if there are two youngsters, or just the one I saw.   
> Anyway, after a bit, I walked on back toward my car, and there in  
> the stream was the other parent!  Very nice!
>
> I wonder if anyone has ever studied these birds to see if they  
> really do choose nests as close to human activity as they can.  All  
> the nests I've seen along Sligo have been over the sidewalk or  
> street, plus being near bridges and or intersections, or  
> playgrounds.  This one is all of the above!  And when a kid on a  
> noisy bike clattered over the bridge, I saw the youngster stop  
> preening and peer after him, as if curious, not as if alarmed.   
> Interesting behavior, I think.  There are so many options for them  
> to put a nest on the side of the creek away from the street or  
> sidewalk, and up or downstream from a playground, but none of them  
> have, that I've seen.  Anyone have observations of them choosing a  
> more secluded option?
>
> Patricia Wood
> Silver Spring
>
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