"NIGHTY NIGHT - HERON"

Black-Crowned Night Heron - 5 Photos

Because of the hot sunny weather Southern Alberta has been currently experiencing, I decided to try an early evening reconnaissance in the wetland area. Wildlife has tons of common sense. It knows not to expend energy unnecessarily in the dry heat and use up valuable energy and resources. So I thought there might be more wildlife sightings as the evening temperatures began to cool.

At first it was relatively quiet. There were a few ducks swimming and of course, the muskrats were out doing their pond patrol. Then a pair of Merlins showed up, diving for dragonflies. They were persistently pursued by magpies who I assume were trying to steal their catches.

A couple of beavers swam into the pond but as their food sources are now plentiful in & close to the water, they just swam through to the next body of water.

And then this Black-Crowned Night Heron showed up & flew onto a dead fir tree.

At first, I thought it was just there for a brief rest before going on to join its partner or fishing but no, there it sat, preening, resting & ignoring the scuffles going on around it.

And it was still there perched on the tree when I left at sunset. 

The lighting in the photos below show the passage of time, as it goes from soft evening light to sunset. And as the daylight faded, so it appeared did the Night Heron. Perhaps this was its night perch, a safe oasis with a gentle breeze. 

And perhaps, another "bird fact" fades into the sunset as well. A Black-Crowned Night Heron that sleeps at night & is active during the day. :)

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PHOTO #5