Lip Lock

After a couple of trips coming up empty...there was finally a heron-fest in the nests. There is a 3rd nest being built, with a male (I think) holding court. So close together.

In my 45 minutes of stalking...there were a lot of dynamics going on. This lip-lock was taken about 10 minutes after the pair mated. I didn't know whether to look away, or watch. I watched, and snapped away. The act was over in 15-20 seconds. Reminds me of the time I...well..never mind about that. HA!

The new nest is just above this nest. When the upper heron left the nest...this mother flew up, and was stealing branches from the new nest. I think later that he flew down, and wanted his branches back. That's the shot I put on my flickr page...of the male chasing the other male off.

The other 3 shots I put on flickr are of a donkey, a llama, and a goat. I figured I needed to put them on because I got a nice warning about staying off the property. It is a farm-like setting, but they are treating psychiatric patients, and I guess my camera scared them.

I also got some nice silk-worm shots, but will save them for another time. It was nice for a change to have a subject hold still instead of flying off.

Put in LARGE if you want to see some heron hackles.