Yellow-crowned Night Heron in Luria Park

This Sunday morning about 7:30 a.m., we saw a somewhat rare bird for our area: Yellow-crowned Night Heron.

This stocky creek fisherman was wading very slowly and meticulously where two small creeks meet. He was visible from the boardwalk on the Raymondale side.

The Yellow-crowned Night Heron breeds mainly in swampy areas in the deep south but can be found in smaller numbers in our area. Their main diet consists of crustaceans like the crayfish that live in the muddy Holmes Run tributary that runs through Luria Park. They spend winters in northern parts of South America.

Look carefully in the creek. You may see this summer visitor!

Tree Swallows In Luria Park

You may have noticed a few Bluebird nesting boxes around Luria Park. there is a nesting pair of blue birds in one box, but recently we saw a pair of Tree Swallows building a nest in the box closest to where Hartwell Road meets the park.

This female Tree Swallow has actively added nesting materials to this nesting box in recent days.

The male watches from a nearby post....

Tree Swallows are beneficial birds in that they are the most adept of all birds in catchung and eating mosquitoes--up to 1500 an hour!

So even though these boxes are provided to attract Bluebirds, the Tree Swallows are using them too. Please do not disturb. We needs these insect eaters on the wing in our neighborhood!