What are the herons up to?

I’ve not been able to locate one of the nestlings in the first heron nest. Originally there were three nestlings. I’ve only seen two nestlings since the birds moved off the nest. Two of the birds hatched earlier and so were larger. At one point I witnessed the two larger birds pushing the smaller nestling to the edge of the nest. Perhaps that’s what happened to the third bird, it was pushed over the side. On a brighter note, the otherRead more

Red shoulders?

People who are not familiar with the species often look at me with confused eyes when I tell them that the hawk perched in the trees before them in the swamp here at the Museum is a Red-shouldered Hawk. Why would they name this hawk “red-shouldered,” and where are the red shoulders? A Red-tailed Hawk has a brick-red tail. That name makes sense. The Red-shouldered Hawk (RSHA) has a reddish belly and chest. Why not name the hawk Red-bellied, orRead more