Green Herons in Central Park

I have been photographing the Green Herons that nest in the Upper Lobe since 2002. They usually start nesting at a time when there's not a lot else going on in the park so, over the years, I have ended up with tons of Green Heron photos. And yet, I continue to be fascinated by them, particularily the chicks almost brutal competition to be fed.

This year they started the nest quite late--almost a month later than in previous years. There are four chicks in the nest but one of them is much smaller and less developed than the others. You can see him at the bottom right of the photo. I fear this little guy is not going to make it although I did see him get fed on Thursday morning and so I do hold out hope for him. If he can keep getting a little protein each day he might make it but his siblings put up such a fight to be fed that he doesn't even bother. The fish I saw him eat fell onto the bottom of the nest from the adult's crop.

The nest got a drenching from Thursday's downpour. I went back immediately after the first storm of the day was over and took this photo.

I always shoot from across the Upper Lobe but there was someone very close to the nest on the opposite side taking photos Thursday morning before the rainstorm. This guy was breaking branches in order to get a clear shot of the nest and he was much too close--almost under the nest. This type of behavior should not be tolerated (I gave another idiot hell on Tuesday for shooting from right under the nest) but before I could go over to the other side of the lobe the heaven's let loose. When I came back the guy was gone and I did not see him return.

I did get his photo of him breaking some branches off a tree so if you see him around the nest, give him hell for me.