Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-11-02
WISCONSIN HERoNs.
Tho Nests For Their Young and Methods
of Housekeeping.


On the way over we had noticed a
scattering flight of herons centering still
farther up the forks, and from the hard
wood ridge we could discern, now and
then, q number coming and going from
the North Fork and its branches. The
two lines apparently met over half
section OF tall pine timber about two
miles 10 the south Of east Of our camp,
but as it was now dusk and showery
we prepared supper and turned in for
the night.
Four o'clock next morning found us
up, breakfast cooked and ready for the
voyage Of discovery, and voyage it,
proved to be, with mud at times ankle
deep, and every leaf supporting great
drops Of water, drenching us to the skin
in few moments
Instead Of keeping around to the
right, where the herons seemed to fly. !
We made s short cut through the great
pines, whose tops lowered full 100 feet
above our heads, with but little under
brush beneath As we rested among
these grand columns no wonder we all
echoed the DOCTORS sentiment when he ;
remarked, IF were a squirrel, this is
Just the place would live, and would
like TO stay here month anyway"
Gradually working our way toward
the south edge Of the pines, all at once
harsh, grunting croaking sound
greeted our ears, and we stopped to lis.
ten. Then q louder combination still
nearer, another of to the left, then half,
a dozen, which from a distance seemed
not unlike great many hogs fighting,
grunting and sQuealing, confirmed our
surmise that the roost was at hand.
We soon discovered that every pine
for a distance Of perhaps two acres con-
tanned large stick nest not flat and
spread cut like the nests in the trees in
Florida but = huge round affair, large
and deep on the outside as a bushel bas-
ket not on the fat surfaces Of spread
ing brsnches but right in the very top,
where the tree separates into many parts.
In one case where tree formed into
two great forks 80 feet from the ground
the top OF each contained nest, while
q third nest was placed lower down on
the side shoot This tree and one other,
which spread out into broad, fiat top,
were the only ones containing three
nests, although quite anumber had two.
There were usually three young TO a
nest and they stood upright on the nest
or on branches level with it near by,
and upon the arrival Of the parent would
all scramble into the nest, setting up,
meanwhile, a great squawking, grunt-
ing sound, in volume hardly to be
expected from three birds.
The old bird usually alighted on the
smaller branches near the nest, proceed
ing Immediately to It, thrusting her
bill well into the outstretched throat Of
the nearest the heads and necks Of both
birds weaving back and forth during the
procesS the other two keeping up an in
fernal sQuslling all the while. AS soon
as the bill was withdrawn another bird
We. served in the same manner, while
the third made vain effort to get his
bill down the throat Of the one just fed,
which would indicate that such thefts
might be successfully made.
The old birds were constantly coming
and going and therefore the combina-
tions Of noises were almost constant
from one part or other Of the heronry,
the noise coming only from nests where
birds were being fed. In the tree with
three nests, the birds in the nest being
fed made the usual outcry, but those IN
the remaining nests, not ten feet away,
paid no attention to it.
The young birds were nearly full
fedged and about ready to leave the
nests, and when standing upon the
branches were hardly distinguishable
from the old birds, except by close ex-
animation Of the feathers Of the breast
which did not have the dashes Of as
deep black as the old birds.
We attempted 10 secure aset OF young
10 mount for the local high school mu-
seam. but when shot they invariably
hrttsred and scrambled about, finally
landing on tho nest - Forest and
Stream.