The Colony

Birds, Canada, Travel, West Coast

BD and I were in Burnaby recently visiting our son and I was sorely hoping to find that beautiful Mandarin duck again (you can see my photos of him here). Alas, it was not meant to be. Construction had the access blocked off and we could not find another way in to his home habitat.

I was lucky enough though, to happen upon this amazing colony of Great Blue Heron. Honestly, we were just out for a walk and may not have even noticed them if they hadn’t all suddenly flown their nests and acted a bit frantic. I believe there was an eagle in the area and they were diverting him or her from the nests.

The Great Blue Heron colony is now in its 21st year I believe and is an amazing sight. They come to Stanley Park annually to nest, breed and then move on. They are in the colony from about February to August. There is a very well written report on the 2020 Colony here.

Here is a partial image of the colony. In the last few years there have been as many as 111 nests recorded in the Stanley Park Ecological Society’s Heron Report. This photo shows only 18 of them!
A pair of the Great Blue Heron. They arrive sometime in late January or February and start building their nests. They will court and mate and lay their eggs starting around late March.
This guy may be on the lookout for more Eagles OR he may have been sent out of the nest into the doghouse for bad behaviour (he does look a bit hung over to me).
The birds were a bit difficult to get good pictures of given the trees and my angle. At some point, with more time in mind, I will definitely see if I can find a better vantage point.
Cropped, but I wanted to have one that showed that beautiful head plume, next time I will have more time and do better (I hope).

Although there were a few people out with cameras or just having a look, thankfully there were not swarms of birders disturbing these beautiful birds. We are beginning to see way too much of that these days. I have reported the location here but that is only because it is a well known and documented colony.

I have stopped locational identification recently due to the number of irresponsible and disrespectful ways in which people are now behaving. Of note: swarms of watchers disturbing owls this year in the Weaselhead Flats that has purportedly lead to the death of one.

One comment

  1. Thanks E! It was the first time I’d seen it in real life too. Quite amazing and definitely a place I’d like to return to.

    Reply

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