The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-05-09
A NIGHT HERON COLONY.
Every Year Thousands of These Birds
Gather IN a Pennsylvania Wood.

In Bucks County, Pa. three miles
from the Delaware River, is an elevated
piece Of woodland, covering more than
an acre, the timber being chiefly oak.
At this season there is nothing about
this wood TO attract attention, but from
early in April until cold weather comes
again there are sights to be seen and
sounds to be heard there that natural
ly set the stranger to wondering
just why the big, long-legged, tufted
birds shoGld have selected that particu-
lar piece of woods TO establish their
colony in no one knows, but twenty
i've years or more ago twas preempted
By pair of black-crowned ght herons,
who built their rude nest of coarse sticks
and twigs near the top of one of the
oak trees. There the female deposited
four green eggs and hatched four Young
herons while her mate journeyed night
ly 10 the Delaware River and caught
fish with which ne returned and fed her.
The loud, harsh cries of these two birds
in the night, and in the daytime if they
were disturbed, in a short time earned
for them among the adjacent farmers
the name of qUawk. The four young
herons grew and thrived, and when
they were old enough went fishing with
their parents, and after a time estab-
hsh"d homes of their own.
When the cold weather came in the
fall the family of herons flew away
south. The next April they came back
again, and they or their descendants
have been coming and going ever since
until they now hold entire possession of
the wood, not a tree being without a
nest during the season, and some trees
having four nests each. Nowhere else
in this part of the State are there any
of these queer birds. The cotonv num-
bers thousands Ali through the sum-
mer, from twilight until sunrise, the
grove is filled with the croaking of the
herons as they return from the river or
fly thither
The coming of the night heron to this
wood in the spring is as mysterious as
the coming of the swallow. One day
there will be no sight or sound of any
OF the big birds in or about the grove.
but before morning they may be heard
coming in with their far-sounding
quawks, and they keep on coming, un-
til after few nights there will he thou
sands of them. During the day per-
son passing the wood would not sus pect
that it was Utterly crowded with birds
as big as the heron, so entirely quiet do
they keep III the trees. But let him
shout loudly, or clap his hands, or make
any unusual noise, and instantly he
will be almost deafened by the cries
that come from every tree, and perhaps
startled at the blistling showing of
tufted heads and great beaks that rise
here, there and everywhere from
among the foliage. When twilight ap-
proaches, though, quiet and peaceful
ness vanish from the grove. Then the
herons begin to take flight for the river,
three miles away, each one making
known the fact by harsh quawks.
The night heron is a fisherman. and
all night long this heronry is the scene
Of the greatest hubbub Herons are
constantly returning laden with fish for
their nesting mates or their young or
going back in quest Of more. Tons Of
fish are carried to these lofty heron
nests during the Matching season
Hawks and crows are industrious and
destructive enemies Of the heron. aud
many battles royal take place daily be-
tween these mtrauders and the long
legged birds.