Cathy's Travel Blog: Blue Heron Nest Sites in Seattle and surrounding areas 04-17-2011

After back from my Florida trip last December, I grew my interest in blue herons.

I searched many different websites and surprised to find that there are many blue heron nests sites in Seattle and surrounding areas.

Blue heron is the largest North American heron, with a head-to-tail length of 91–140 cm (36–55 in), a wingspan of 167–201 cm (66–79 in), and a weight of 2–3.6 kg (4.4-8 lbs). Notable features include slaty flight feathers, red-brown thighs, and a paired red-brown and black stripe up the flanks; the neck is rusty-gray, with black and white streaking down the front; the head is paler, with a nearly white face, and a pair of black plumes running from just above the eye to the back of the head. The feathers on the lower neck are long and plume-like; it also has plumes on the lower back at the start of the breeding season. The bill is dull yellowish, becoming orange briefly at the start of the breeding season, and the lower legs gray, also becoming orangey at the start of the breeding season. Immature birds are duller in color, with a dull blackish-gray crown, and the flank pattern only weakly defined; they have no plumes, and the bill is dull gray-yellow.

I am so happy that I had a chance to visit blue heron nest sites this weekend. I went 4 different blue heron nest sites. There are: Medina Park in Bellevue, Kenmore Library in Kenmore, Black River Riparian Forest in Renton, and Ballard Locks (West Commodore & 33^rd Ave W) in Seattle.

I hope you can go and find them yourself. Very interesting!