Today I visited a Black Skimmer nesting colony in the Indian Shores area of Florida. There are only a few babies so far and they are pretty tiny right now. They are not very active yet, but it was still nice to watch the interaction between the chicks and the parents. One parent brought a baby a fish but I think the chick was not big enough to eat the fish yet. The parent kept putting it in the baby’s face, but the baby couldn’t get a hold of it. The juvenile night heron was upset by an adult night heron that was near the tree he was in. I am pretty sure it is an immature Yellow Crowned Night Heron. The night heron was just outside the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary.
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nice pics! the juvie in question is a black-crowned night heron juvie. they are quite easily confused with the YCNH. the beak is a good way to differentiate. YCNH is not as pointy and is all black. the BCNH beak is more like a spear and has yellow in the lower beak….. good shooting, Matt!
Jim