Yellow-crowned Night Heron
This time of year, the NJ Meadowlands really starts to pickup. Shorebirds and Songbirds alike begin their journey south, resting and foraging in the marshy areas along the way. I made a trip over there recently to scout about and see what was around. Things were looking good, not full swing migration good, but good for a late summer outing. Mallards were bountiful, Great Egrets stalked the edges, and a few flocks of Least Sandpiper could be found zipping around. I took a few shots here and there, but mostly for birding evidence. Nothing too great. It was when I was walking back to the car that this Yellow-crowned Night Heron emerged from behind a grassy berm. Upon noticing the bird, I slowly dropped to one knee. I don't have a good track record with these birds on ground level, so I wanted to do everything in my power to not spook him. I stayed low to the ground, going as far as to use the berm itself as a sort of natural blind. Once I got into a serviceable distance, I rolled over onto the berm. At this moment, he took a few steps toward me, as if to investigate the sound or commotion. I managed to get a few frames in before some joggers scared him off. While I didn't get to spend a great deal of time with him, I'm happy with the few shots I did get.
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
This time of year, the NJ Meadowlands really starts to pickup. Shorebirds and Songbirds alike begin their journey south, resting and foraging in the marshy areas along the way. I made a trip over there recently to scout about and see what was around. Things were looking good, not full swing migration good, but good for a late summer outing. Mallards were bountiful, Great Egrets stalked the edges, and a few flocks of Least Sandpiper could be found zipping around. I took a few shots here and there, but mostly for birding evidence. Nothing too great. It was when I was walking back to the car that this Yellow-crowned Night Heron emerged from behind a grassy berm. Upon noticing the bird, I slowly dropped to one knee. I don't have a good track record with these birds on ground level, so I wanted to do everything in my power to not spook him. I stayed low to the ground, going as far as to use the berm itself as a sort of natural blind. Once I got into a serviceable distance, I rolled over onto the berm. At this moment, he took a few steps toward me, as if to investigate the sound or commotion. I managed to get a few frames in before some joggers scared him off. While I didn't get to spend a great deal of time with him, I'm happy with the few shots I did get.