#7 Parent poised to leave the nest while nestlings have dined on some fish evidenced by bits of food on their bills. According to Audubon a heronry can be a rather unpleasant place. The parents are so diligent about getting fish, frogs etc for their young that nests may have food in various stages of putrefaction in them. However, in this particular nest with all the competition by the hungry siblings, food left to spoil does not seem likely. Parents eat over 4 times their normal consumption to feed their voracious young. Ultimately, the young birds must fly off and feed on their own.

Great Blue HeronNesting colonynestlingsnestchicksfledglingfeedingheronswading birdscypresspond cypressFloridaWakodahatchee Wetlandwetland'created waters'freeding frenzyregurgitation