Saturday, June 12, 2021

Saturday's Critters # 391

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

Hello and happy Saturday!

 

 If you love all God's creatures like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!

Hubby and I visited the York Pennsylvania rookery on May 14th. There are Black Crowned Night Herons and Great Egrets nesting in the trees around a little lake in the middle of the city.  It seems this year the number of nests are dwindling. It seems like the rookery is smaller each year.  

1.  Black-crowned Night Heron, looks like it is taking a nap. 




2. Below are a couple of Black-crowned Night Herons, I assume the female is sitting on a nest and is somewhat hidden behind the leaves.





3. Below is a Great Egret and you can see 2 baby egrets fuzzy heads sticking up out of the nest. 



4.  The Great Egrets were plentiful, various trees had 3-4 Egret nests.





5. Great Egret was breaking off branches to take back to the nest. 



6. I counted at least 6 Great Egrets in the photo below.  One is kind of hidden behind a branch.  

  



7. A Great Egret looking for food , not far away were a couple of Canada Geese.





8. Incoming, a Great Egret flying back to the nest..

I have posted about this York Pa Egret and Heron rookery here.  Our  first visit I posted about was back in 2012. 


I am also linking up to Anni's blog party found here I'd Rather B Birding   Anni always has some beautiful birds to be seen on her blog, check it out!


Thanks to all my visitors and for your comments. Stop back to see any replies to your comments. I appreciate everyone who loves critters and has linked up their critter post. 


Here is my linky:



YOU are all # 1.





138 comments:

  1. Loved the post, So beautiful pics.
    Have a nice weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Rupam!
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  2. Interesting feathers on that Great egret. Black-crowned night heron is a beautiful bird.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comment and visit!
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  3. Eileen - so encouraging to see so many egrets in one place!

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    1. Thank you Angie!
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  4. Hari OM
    I love them ... somehow, though, the sight of herons and egrets in trees always makes me giggle! YAM xx

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    1. Thank you YAM!
      It is weird to see these big birds high in the tree tops.
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  5. Those Great Egret are so elegant and beautiful in their breeding fplumage Eileen Lovely to see chick born now. Thanks for hosting, stay safe and have a great weekend.

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    1. Thank you Margaret!
      It is a treat to see the Egret chicks.
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  6. Great shots of the Night Heron and the Great Egret. My favourite is the 4th where the Great Egret looks glowing white against the blue sky. Happy weekend.

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    1. Thank you Nancy!
      The Great Egret is a beautiful bird.
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  7. Hello Eileen,

    Beautiful photos of The Heron and The Egrets! The Black Crowned Night Heron have I never seen before. Enjoy you day and have a Happy Weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Marit!
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  8. Good Morning Eileen. It's interesting to see how your Great Egrets are in such fine plumage. Great Egrets are not well established here and still occur in quite small numbers. There was a single bird near me for many weeks recently but it went off somewhere last week of May. I saw it regular and hoped it would develop some adult plumage like the ones you picture, but it didn't. I guess it wasn't a full adult yet.

    It's a shame that you think rookery numbers are in dcline and i hope you are wrong. It's good that you go the rookery regularly and record the numbers. That's good Citizen Science.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Phil!
      I hope I am wrong about the numbers declining at this rookery.
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  9. your photos of birds are mesmerizing dear Eileen ,specially lone egret sitting on tree looking away looks so artistic :)

    how nice you have deep love for birds which are pure joy and delight to see indeed !
    thank you for making my day .
    more blessings to you and loved ones !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Baili!
      The birds do bring me joy, it is a simple pleasure to watch the birds.
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  10. Hi Eileen,
    What beautiful pictures you have taken.
    Black-crowned Night Heron is really beautiful, as is the great egret.
    Would you mind posting my link, I can't.
    I wish you a nice weekend.
    Greetings Irma

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Irma!
      I linked your post, your photos are beautiful.
      Take care, enjoy your day!

      Delete
  11. Beautiful creatures! Where I usually spend my week ends (Bolsena Lake) is full of Canada Geese and I love to feed them. Have a good Saturday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comment.
      So nice to see your back and posting again
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  12. not fun to see the number of birds lessening each year, I hope the herons will get some young to keep up the number. Glad to see the beautiful Great egret having chicks. That is such a beautiful bird.
    We have greylag geese but I hardly seen any Canada goose. And there used to be plenty of them.
    Taek care. Wishing you a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Monica!
      The geese numbers are high here, we see them year round.
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  13. The egrets are incredibly beautiful in their nuptial plumes and posturing. Our local Great Egrets often disappear for a couple of weeks in in May, but this year they have been absent for six weeks. Not sure where they go.

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    1. Thank you Ken!
      I hope the herons are just nesting nearby in another spot.
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  14. Dearest Eilee,
    I think I've never seen a Night Heron before, may be they don't live in Austria. Wikipedia says: "Originally it was also widespread in Central Europe, but is now only a relatively common breeding and summer bird in the east and south-east of Central Europe." At least I can offer you a gray heron and some other birds that live by the water. And snails and a red squirrel ... :-)
    Have a great weekend!
    Hugs, Traude
    https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2021/06/nexinger-schweiz-muschelberg-und.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Traude!
      Your Gray Heron images are beautiful too.
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  15. What a beautiful series of birds. The Great egret is a gorgeous looking bird and one that I haven't seen. Thanks for hosting and have a wonderful weekend.

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    1. Thank you Bill!

      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  16. ..Eileen, this must have been a great trip, you captured some lovely images. Thanks for sharing and hosting. Enjoy your weekend.

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    1. Thank you Tom!
      This was just a short drive from our house, not really a trip. I hope to go on a trip soon.
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  17. Eileen, que lindas todas as garças e as da noite! Fotos maravilhosas! Lindo fim de semana! beijos, tudo de bom,chica

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Chica!
      Take care, have a great weekend!

      Delete
  18. This is a lovely series! It must be fascinating watching them like this. Our pheobes fledged yesterday, just as my grandies watched. So much fun! Thanks for hosting!

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    1. Thank you Jenn!
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  19. An active heronry is a splendid place to visit and it is sad to learn that the number of birds is declining, but that mirrors the situation for virtually all wildlife in all parts of the world as we continue to relentlessly take their habitat away and pollute the remnants we so magnanimously leave them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you David!
      The water in this lake could be polluted, but we see people fishing out this lake too.
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  20. Love the picture of the napping Black Crowned Night Heron - cute with his leg tucked up. The Egrets are beautiful too.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Vera!
      The Night Heron is one of my favorites.
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  21. How beautiful the egret and so perfectly captured in the fourth photo.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Marie!
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  22. Beautiful Eileen, the Black Crowned night heron is so close from you. I like them.

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    1. Thank you Caroline!
      My camera has great zoom, I was not too close.
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  23. I too will be posting on IRBB my photos of the great egrets' nesting. Lovely images Eileen.

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    1. Thank you Anni!
      I look forward to seeing your Egrets and nests.
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  24. Great photos Eileen! I love seeing so many Great Egrets together, they are such beautiful birds. I loved seeing the baby egrets fuzzy little heads too. Have a fantastic weekend. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Martha!
      The fuzzy heads are cute!
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  25. Replies
    1. Thank you William!
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  26. What lovely photos of these magnificent birds, Eileen!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Nick!
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  27. PS: Thank you for hosting, Eileen! Have a great new week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Nick!
      I appreciate your linking up and comments.
      Have a great new week!

      Delete
  28. These are such beautiful birds...good photos!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Barbara!
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  29. Thanks for sharing these smart critters. They have amazing necks and elegant plumage.
    All the best for your weekend!
    Thanks for hosting!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Luisella!
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  30. I thought at first you had traveled to FL. These are some of the birds we love to see on our hikes. Aren't the feathers pretty on the Egret! I love them all! Enjoy your weekend!

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    1. Thank you Diane!
      I am happy to see these birds close to home, Florida is too far for a morning drive.
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  31. SO nice to see the birds nesting, I enjoyed your recounting of your day and the photos..I think they nest so close to each other to help keep predators away when they are off getting food the neighbor can watch the kids...kind of thing.
    Hope your weekend is a good one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sondra!
      It is good to know these birds look after each other nest and kids.
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  32. i am starting to see a few egrets here too, i'm so glad they are back. you see so many in one spot, i usually only see one or two together!! nice capture of the heron, it does appear to be sleeping!! have a great weekend eileen and many thanks for hosting us crazy, critter lovers!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Debbie!
      I hope you see more egrets, you have a nice lake there for them. I heard there is a rookery near Cape May visitor center? I am thankful for all the critter lovers. Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  33. I like the skirts the egrets wear. so pretty and the first heron looks like a grumpy old man, you can call him Bob. ha ha the egret with the adorable babies is todays fav

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Sondra!
      I am sure Bob is not grumpy. Grumpy does fit the look on this heron.
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  34. I love seeing the Black- Crowned Night Heron! We had one each year at the pond near us but I never saw it last year although I am not out and about as much as in normal times.

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    1. Thank you for the comment! I hope your Night Heron is still around, sometimes they hide well.
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  35. We don't have egrets but do have great blue herons. It's always interesting to watch this awkward ungainly bird navigate in trees.

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    1. Thank you Red!
      They seem to be able to climb around the trees and hop onto different branches.
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  36. Good morning Eileen! Thanks for taking us along to the York Pennsylvania rookery. I enjoyed all your photos! The photo with 2 baby egrets fuzzy heads sticking up out of the nest is especially sweet! Another excellent Saturday's Critters. Thank you for sharing and a happy weekend to you! John

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    1. Thank you John!
      The fuzzy head chicks are cute, I was happy to be able to see some. They were high up in the trees.
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  37. They are beautiful birds. After not seeing the ocean and all the sea birds for 15 years now, I think someone is planning a birthday surprise. In the meantime, I enjoy you photos so much and also your always happy and kind comments on my posts. The pelican, while not the most beautiful, is my favorite sea bird. I miss them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Inger!
      Is it your birthday surprise, a trip to the ocean.
      I love the pelicans, they are cool looking birds.
      Take care, enjoy your weekend!

      Delete
  38. Replies
    1. Thank you Cloudia!
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  39. Brilliant photos of the water birds. My favourite is the Black-crowned Night Heron, you shot so well Eileen.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Bob!
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  40. Herons and egrets ~ how wonderful ~ Beautiful photography ~ Happy Weekend to you ~ Xo

    Live in the moment,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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    1. Thank you Carol!
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  41. Oh how I would have loved to have seen those baby egret little heads! You always share special photos of birds I can never hope to see. Imagine the Canada geese are still there too. More are overwintering here every year I've read.

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    1. Thank you Jocelyn!
      The fuzzy little heads were cute! We have Canada Geese year round here too.
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  42. Spectacular shots on the dazzling white great egrets, particularly against the blue sky! The Black-crowned Night Heron in the first shot resembles a penguin, and I hope you had a good day that day. Have a nice weekend

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    1. Thank you Jeevan!

      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  43. Great shots of the Heron and the Egrets..Enjoy your weekend..

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Missy!
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  44. These are all amazing captures, Elaine! The Egrets and Herons are truly magical! Hope you are having a nice weekend. x K

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    1. Thank you Karen!
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  45. Herons and Egrets are such fun to photograph!!!...jp

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    1. Thank you JP!
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  46. lovely Black-crowned Night Herons.... excellent shots....

    have a wonderful weekend

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Tanza!
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  47. The egret pictures are amazing!! Wow, love the one of the nest with the babies. Fantastic!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Karen!
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  48. I'm always amazed to see these large birds in trees! Fun. You got some great shots.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Ellen!
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  49. In all my years in Florida I only ever saw ONE Black Crowned Night Heron. I can't tell you how stupid giddy it made me. LOL

    Your egret photos are beautiful. I see the males are still in their breeding colors.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Dee!
      The Night Herons are cool birds to see!
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  50. Beautiful images! Thanks for hosting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Linda!
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  51. Excellent pictures. Still hard to believe those long legged birds nest in high trees,
    MB

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you MB!
      Happy Sunday, have a great new week ahead.

      Delete
  52. Thanks, as always, for taking time out to share with us and link in!!

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    1. Thank you for hosting Anni!
      I am happy to participate! Have a great day!

      Delete
  53. These birds are really beautiful!
    Always nice to see your pics, Eileen!
    Happy Sunday !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Ela, for the comment and visit.
      Take care, enjoy your new week!

      Delete
  54. Great photos! Beautiful birds!
    Have a blessed day!

    ReplyDelete
  55. Hi Eileen! :) The Night Heron shot is wonderful, so cute looking sleepy! And those Great Egrets...what beautiful creatures, I never see them here. I'm slowing getting back to blogging after all the chaos and craziness that has been my life of late! I hope to participate soon! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much rain for the comment and visit.
      I hope things are calming down for you now.
      Take care, I wish you a happy new week ahead.

      Delete
  56. Todos se ven preciosos. Feliz comienzo de semana.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Teresa! Have a great day and a happy new week!

      Delete
  57. I just LOVE seeing those birds in the trees -- a sight I'm not used to! Happy week!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Jeanie!
      The Egrets were busy with their nest in the trees.
      Have a great new week!

      Delete
  58. Nice photos, Eileen! I'm also admiring your Monday photo, all that snow! We are in t-shirts already, it is quite hot around here.
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Amalia!
      The snow photo was from my archives. It is hot here too.
      Take care, have a happy new week!

      Delete
  59. Truly wonderful to see all your beautiful birds. Happy day and week to you Eileen :)

    ReplyDelete
  60. That Night Heron looks like he is enjoying the shut eye during the day for sure! Have a great week Eileen.
    Wren x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Wren!
      Have a great day and week ahead!

      Delete
  61. Replies
    1. Thank you for the visit and comment.
      Have a great day!

      Delete
  62. Fantastic series of birds, Eilene! The Great egret is a magnificent looking bird!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Veronica Lee! I appreciate the visit and comment.
      Take care, enjoy your day!

      Delete
  63. Great critters post, so I missed last week, it was a working weekend and the parade after work Saturday, but I took a few pups photos and will be here to post this coming Saturday. Take care enjoy your week!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Karen!
      Have a great day and week ahead!

      Delete
  64. You've shared some wonderful photographs here Eileen, I really enjoyed them, thank you.
    I do agree with you, the one of the Black-crowned Night Heron does look asleep!

    Hope you are having a good week.
    My good wishes.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  65. Perfect pictures! Baby Egrets are so cute, so beautiful, so innocent. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comment.
      Have a happy day and great weekend!

      Delete
  66. Eileen - I have always been amazed by the feathery look of those egrets - so majestic!

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  67. Bellísima Garza blanca. Gracias por compartirla Eileen.
    Os deseo un buen fin de senama. Cuídaros.
    Un abrazo.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Lovely photos, the great egrets are magnificent birds

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Juliet! The Egrets are gorgeous!
      Have a happy weekend!

      Delete
  69. I love the Great Egret's delicate tail feathers your photos show them off so well!
    Have a great week Eileen
    Wren x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Wren!
      Have a happy day and a great week ahead.

      Delete

Hello, thank you for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.

BTW, Anonymous comments unless a name is included will not be published. Also, comments with links will be deleted.

Have a happy day, Eileen

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