I have spent too much time watching GBHs and have seen this behavior numerous times. Hunger is a great motivator - I think the parents do it deliberately. Never fear though as the parents probably aren't too far away and will do a flyby checkup during the day.
Gary Bowen, Thornton On Monday, June 29, 2020 at 9:13:36 PM UTC-6, Marcia Wade - Lafayette, Boulder County wrote: > > I have a question about great blue herons. At the nest I have been > watching since it was built at Hecla Pond, the parents have apparently > left. I have not seen them for two days. One of the two juveniles can > fly, and the other one not so much. When I went today, there was only one > juvenile in nest, and a little while later, I saw a heron flying around the > island the platform is on.. At first I thought it was one of the parents, > but was disabused of that notion when he crashed into the tree next to the > platform. He proceeded to flap around frantically in the tree trying to > get back to the nest. The other one went to edge of platform and watched > all this attentively, and later I saw him in a tree on the other side of > the platform, but I didn't see whether he hopped or flew there. Eventually > they both got back into the nest. My question is whether the parents would > leave them before they can take care of themselves. Last year, the same (I > assume) parents did not disappear until both babies were flying and could > forage for themselves (I watched them fight over a crawfish one had caught > right after the parents left - it was a hoot). Anybody know the answer? > Thanks in advance. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/0e452c1e-4ceb-4f30-a9a1-73622059c7c2o%40googlegroups.com.
