Re: [cobirds] Black-crowned Night Heron seen floating on water, Wash Park, Denver. Who knew?

[Joe Roller]

Thanks for your comments. I now know that Ibi and NHerons are in the same
order.
Joe

On Tue, Sep 9, 2014 at 10:56 PM, Nick Komar  wrote:

> I believe it was the depth. They were attracted by the hordes of gulls.
> They circled around the gull flock several times before landing. They
> probable were hoping for a submerged sand bar.
>
> Nick Komar
> Fort Collins CO
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Sep 9, 2014, at 10:50 PM, Deborah Carstensen 
> wrote:
>
> Were they uncomfortable with the depth of the water or the sudden
> realization of the company they were keeping? Deb Carstensen, Littleton
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Sep 9, 2014, at 9:33 PM, Nick Komar  wrote:
>
> I did observe an entire flock of white-faced ibis (same order as
> night-herons: Ciconiiformes) land in the center of a deep lake, joining a
> communal roost of gulls. They seemed very uncomfortable and almost
> immediately took off again.
>
> Nick Komar
> Fort Collins CO
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Sep 7, 2014, at 12:53 PM, Joe Roller  wrote:
>
>I have been stopping by Grasmere Lake, the southern water body in
> Washington Park, at Downing and Louisiana, almost daily for a couple of
> weeks, counting American White Pelicans as their numbers grow - from 4 to
> 21, now plateauing around 19-21.
>
> While there this morning I saw an adult Black-crowned Night Heron
> (hereafter BCNH) floating on the water!
>
> It took me a while to figure out what family this bird was in, let alone
> species. It was somewhat loon-like, but the thick dagger bill, black crown
> and gray wings convinced me otherwise. The body was held horizontally, the
> bill parallel to the water.  I watched it for a minute, as it floated, not
> fishing or swimming. I ran around the south end to get a better look, and
> by that time it had resumed its normal vertical or hunched position on
> branches at the water's edge near it's 3 or 4 off-spring. I looked it up:
>
> This from the *Florida Natualist,* Fall, 1973, James Kushlan:
>
> Five feeding methods have been previously described for the species:
>
> Stand and Wait* &
>
> Walk Slowly being the most common;
>
> Bill-vibrating, standing in shallow water while rapidly vibrating the bill
> at the surface, (Stone, 1937; Drinkwater, 1958);
>
> Hovering, flying in place above the surface and catching prey without
> settling into the water (Meyerriecks. 1960); and
>
> * Swimming- feeding, alighting on the water and catching prey while afloat
> (Wetmore, 1920). *
>
> In this article, Kushlan describes "plunge-diving" from the air as a 6th
> feeding behavior.
>
> Has anyone observed the floating or swimming behavior of Night-Herons?
>
> Intriguing,  I thought.
>
>
> * Milton - "They also serve who only stand and wait."
>
>
> Joe Roller,
>
> Denver
>
>
>
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Re: [cobirds] Black-crowned Night Heron seen floating on water, Wash Park, Denver. Who knew?

[Nick Komar]

I believe it was the depth. They were attracted by the hordes of gulls. They 
circled around the gull flock several times before landing. They probable were 
hoping for a submerged sand bar. 

Nick Komar
Fort Collins CO

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 9, 2014, at 10:50 PM, Deborah Carstensen  wrote:
> 
> Were they uncomfortable with the depth of the water or the sudden realization 
> of the company they were keeping? Deb Carstensen, Littleton 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Sep 9, 2014, at 9:33 PM, Nick Komar  wrote:
>> 
>> I did observe an entire flock of white-faced ibis (same order as 
>> night-herons: Ciconiiformes) land in the center of a deep lake, joining a 
>> communal roost of gulls. They seemed very uncomfortable and almost 
>> immediately took off again. 
>> 
>> Nick Komar
>> Fort Collins CO
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Sep 7, 2014, at 12:53 PM, Joe Roller  wrote:
>>> 
>>>  I have been stopping by Grasmere Lake, the southern water body in 
>>> Washington Park, at Downing and Louisiana, almost daily for a couple of 
>>> weeks, counting American White Pelicans as their numbers grow - from 4 to 
>>> 21, now plateauing around 19-21.
>>> 
>>> While there this morning I saw an adult Black-crowned Night Heron 
>>> (hereafter BCNH) floating on the water!
>>> 
>>> It took me a while to figure out what family this bird was in, let alone 
>>> species. It was somewhat loon-like, but the thick dagger bill, black crown 
>>> and gray wings convinced me otherwise. The body was held horizontally, the 
>>> bill parallel to the water.  I watched it for a minute, as it floated, not 
>>> fishing or swimming. I ran around the south end to get a better look, and 
>>> by that time it had resumed its normal vertical or hunched position on 
>>> branches at the water's edge near it's 3 or 4 off-spring. I looked it up:
>>> 
>>> This from the Florida Natualist, Fall, 1973, James Kushlan:
>>> 
>>> Five feeding methods have been previously described for the species: 
>>> 
>>> Stand and Wait* &
>>> 
>>> Walk Slowly being the most common; 
>>> 
>>> Bill-vibrating, standing in shallow water while rapidly vibrating the bill 
>>> at the surface, (Stone, 1937; Drinkwater, 1958); 
>>> 
>>> Hovering, flying in place above the surface and catching prey without 
>>> settling into the water (Meyerriecks. 1960); and 
>>> 
>>>  Swimming- feeding, alighting on the water and catching prey while afloat 
>>> (Wetmore, 1920). 
>>> 
>>> In this article, Kushlan describes "plunge-diving" from the air as a 6th 
>>> feeding behavior.
>>> 
>>> Has anyone observed the floating or swimming behavior of Night-Herons?
>>> 
>>> Intriguing,  I thought.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> * Milton - "They also serve who only stand and wait." 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Joe Roller,
>>> 
>>> Denver
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -- 
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>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
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Re: [cobirds] Black-crowned Night Heron seen floating on water, Wash Park, Denver. Who knew?

['Deborah Carstensen' via Colorado Birds]

Were they uncomfortable with the depth of the water or the sudden realization 
of the company they were keeping? Deb Carstensen, Littleton 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 9, 2014, at 9:33 PM, Nick Komar  wrote:
> 
> I did observe an entire flock of white-faced ibis (same order as 
> night-herons: Ciconiiformes) land in the center of a deep lake, joining a 
> communal roost of gulls. They seemed very uncomfortable and almost 
> immediately took off again. 
> 
> Nick Komar
> Fort Collins CO
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Sep 7, 2014, at 12:53 PM, Joe Roller  wrote:
>> 
>>  I have been stopping by Grasmere Lake, the southern water body in 
>> Washington Park, at Downing and Louisiana, almost daily for a couple of 
>> weeks, counting American White Pelicans as their numbers grow - from 4 to 
>> 21, now plateauing around 19-21.
>> 
>> While there this morning I saw an adult Black-crowned Night Heron (hereafter 
>> BCNH) floating on the water!
>> 
>> It took me a while to figure out what family this bird was in, let alone 
>> species. It was somewhat loon-like, but the thick dagger bill, black crown 
>> and gray wings convinced me otherwise. The body was held horizontally, the 
>> bill parallel to the water.  I watched it for a minute, as it floated, not 
>> fishing or swimming. I ran around the south end to get a better look, and by 
>> that time it had resumed its normal vertical or hunched position on branches 
>> at the water's edge near it's 3 or 4 off-spring. I looked it up:
>> 
>> This from the Florida Natualist, Fall, 1973, James Kushlan:
>> 
>> Five feeding methods have been previously described for the species: 
>> 
>> Stand and Wait* &
>> 
>> Walk Slowly being the most common; 
>> 
>> Bill-vibrating, standing in shallow water while rapidly vibrating the bill 
>> at the surface, (Stone, 1937; Drinkwater, 1958); 
>> 
>> Hovering, flying in place above the surface and catching prey without 
>> settling into the water (Meyerriecks. 1960); and 
>> 
>>  Swimming- feeding, alighting on the water and catching prey while afloat 
>> (Wetmore, 1920). 
>> 
>> In this article, Kushlan describes "plunge-diving" from the air as a 6th 
>> feeding behavior.
>> 
>> Has anyone observed the floating or swimming behavior of Night-Herons?
>> 
>> Intriguing,  I thought.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> * Milton - "They also serve who only stand and wait." 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Joe Roller,
>> 
>> Denver
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -- 
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>> "Colorado Birds" group.
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Re: [cobirds] Black-crowned Night Heron seen floating on water, Wash Park, Denver. Who knew?

[Nick Komar]

I did observe an entire flock of white-faced ibis (same order as night-herons: 
Ciconiiformes) land in the center of a deep lake, joining a communal roost of 
gulls. They seemed very uncomfortable and almost immediately took off again. 

Nick Komar
Fort Collins CO

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 7, 2014, at 12:53 PM, Joe Roller  wrote:
> 
>  I have been stopping by Grasmere Lake, the southern water body in Washington 
> Park, at Downing and Louisiana, almost daily for a couple of weeks, counting 
> American White Pelicans as their numbers grow - from 4 to 21, now plateauing 
> around 19-21.
> 
> While there this morning I saw an adult Black-crowned Night Heron (hereafter 
> BCNH) floating on the water!
> 
> It took me a while to figure out what family this bird was in, let alone 
> species. It was somewhat loon-like, but the thick dagger bill, black crown 
> and gray wings convinced me otherwise. The body was held horizontally, the 
> bill parallel to the water.  I watched it for a minute, as it floated, not 
> fishing or swimming. I ran around the south end to get a better look, and by 
> that time it had resumed its normal vertical or hunched position on branches 
> at the water's edge near it's 3 or 4 off-spring. I looked it up:
> 
> This from the Florida Natualist, Fall, 1973, James Kushlan:
> 
> Five feeding methods have been previously described for the species: 
> 
> Stand and Wait* &
> 
> Walk Slowly being the most common; 
> 
> Bill-vibrating, standing in shallow water while rapidly vibrating the bill at 
> the surface, (Stone, 1937; Drinkwater, 1958); 
> 
> Hovering, flying in place above the surface and catching prey without 
> settling into the water (Meyerriecks. 1960); and 
> 
>  Swimming- feeding, alighting on the water and catching prey while afloat 
> (Wetmore, 1920). 
> 
> In this article, Kushlan describes "plunge-diving" from the air as a 6th 
> feeding behavior.
> 
> Has anyone observed the floating or swimming behavior of Night-Herons?
> 
> Intriguing,  I thought.
> 
> 
> 
> * Milton - "They also serve who only stand and wait." 
> 
> 
> 
> Joe Roller,
> 
> Denver
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
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Re: [cobirds] Black-crowned Night Heron seen floating on water, Wash Park, Denver. Who knew?

['Deborah Carstensen' via Colorado Birds]

This may not be exactly the same, but a couple of years ago, I had a great blue 
heron walk into the pond where I live, wade out and then float in the water for 
15 minutes or so. His wings for outstretched over the water. 
 I had some concerns that this was a suicidal gesture on the heron's part, 
but it proved to be unsuccessful, if that's what it was! It was a very odd 
sight to see and was really concerning to me. When I posted on Co birds about 
it, someone suggested that he was trying to drowned insects in his feathers… 
seemed reasonable to me.
  Deb Carstensen, Littleton, Arapahoe County.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 7, 2014, at 12:53 PM, Joe Roller  wrote:
> 
>  I have been stopping by Grasmere Lake, the southern water body in Washington 
> Park, at Downing and Louisiana, almost daily for a couple of weeks, counting 
> American White Pelicans as their numbers grow - from 4 to 21, now plateauing 
> around 19-21.
> 
> While there this morning I saw an adult Black-crowned Night Heron (hereafter 
> BCNH) floating on the water!
> 
> It took me a while to figure out what family this bird was in, let alone 
> species. It was somewhat loon-like, but the thick dagger bill, black crown 
> and gray wings convinced me otherwise. The body was held horizontally, the 
> bill parallel to the water.  I watched it for a minute, as it floated, not 
> fishing or swimming. I ran around the south end to get a better look, and by 
> that time it had resumed its normal vertical or hunched position on branches 
> at the water's edge near it's 3 or 4 off-spring. I looked it up:
> 
> This from the Florida Natualist, Fall, 1973, James Kushlan:
> 
> Five feeding methods have been previously described for the species: 
> 
> Stand and Wait* &
> 
> Walk Slowly being the most common; 
> 
> Bill-vibrating, standing in shallow water while rapidly vibrating the bill at 
> the surface, (Stone, 1937; Drinkwater, 1958); 
> 
> Hovering, flying in place above the surface and catching prey without 
> settling into the water (Meyerriecks. 1960); and 
> 
>  Swimming- feeding, alighting on the water and catching prey while afloat 
> (Wetmore, 1920). 
> 
> In this article, Kushlan describes "plunge-diving" from the air as a 6th 
> feeding behavior.
> 
> Has anyone observed the floating or swimming behavior of Night-Herons?
> 
> Intriguing,  I thought.
> 
> 
> 
> * Milton - "They also serve who only stand and wait." 
> 
> 
> 
> Joe Roller,
> 
> Denver
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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[cobirds] Black-crowned Night Heron seen floating on water, Wash Park, Denver. Who knew?

[Joe Roller]

 I have been stopping by Grasmere Lake, the southern water body in
Washington Park, at Downing and Louisiana, almost daily for a couple of
weeks, counting American White Pelicans as their numbers grow - from 4 to
21, now plateauing around 19-21.

While there this morning I saw an adult Black-crowned Night Heron
(hereafter BCNH) floating on the water!

It took me a while to figure out what family this bird was in, let alone
species. It was somewhat loon-like, but the thick dagger bill, black crown
and gray wings convinced me otherwise. The body was held horizontally, the
bill parallel to the water.  I watched it for a minute, as it floated, not
fishing or swimming. I ran around the south end to get a better look, and
by that time it had resumed its normal vertical or hunched position on
branches at the water's edge near it's 3 or 4 off-spring. I looked it up:

This from the *Florida Natualist,* Fall, 1973, James Kushlan:

Five feeding methods have been previously described for the species:

Stand and Wait* &

Walk Slowly being the most common;

Bill-vibrating, standing in shallow water while rapidly vibrating the bill
at the surface, (Stone, 1937; Drinkwater, 1958);

Hovering, flying in place above the surface and catching prey without
settling into the water (Meyerriecks. 1960); and

* Swimming- feeding, alighting on the water and catching prey while afloat
(Wetmore, 1920). *

In this article, Kushlan describes "plunge-diving" from the air as a 6th
feeding behavior.

Has anyone observed the floating or swimming behavior of Night-Herons?

Intriguing,  I thought.


* Milton - "They also serve who only stand and wait."


Joe Roller,

Denver

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