Grey Heron Family Again!

For those who are tiring of my Heron Obsession I apologize- but each time I plan to focus on trees there is a development in the heron family that I cannot ignore!

Today I got a shock when instead of two heron chicks I saw THREE- two on the nest and one on their branch, the evicted one having returned...


However, the threesome didn't last long as soon the fledged one (assuming it was him) flew down to the island's shore, where he landed on a log in the water:



Here he proceeded to search for food like an old-timer:


And here he plays at being Narcissus!



And here he seems to believe he is a Duck...


Now when I first arrived, I had spotted a Heron lurking high in the foliage of a large island tree, and rightly guessed it was one of the parent birds. Suddenly, he (or she) came swooping down to land on the chick's log. He immediately went wild, flapping his wings and making loud squawks- a big baby again!




The two stayed together for sometime, moving around and fishing for food:


Finally, the parent decided it was time to leave and flew up into a nearby tree:


where he sat until he REALLY decided it was time to leave and flew off the tree and into the distance...


The fledgeling carried on with his work and I reluctantly left, leaving him in the water and his two siblings on their nest and branch...