I visited the small nesting colony at Preston Rd in Columbus on Sunday.
There is still only one active nest, which held at least three large
seemingly healthy immature birds, attended by two adults.
        The other two adults have apparently been unsuccessful in restoring the
other nest, which used to be over the middle of the road and south of
the active one. The surface of the street was marked by several
concentrations of droppings--far less concentrated than those under the
active nest--and scattered twigs, which seems to indicate they are still
making pathetic attempts to construct a nest. In one of the splotches of
droppings were the remains of what appeared to be a night-heron's
egg--almost size of a chicken's, pale blue green,including yolk.
        The nestless adults were perched together on a bare sycamore branch.
Perhaps fifty feet to the north was a small nest-like construction, made
entirely of twigs like the active one, which could have been a nascent
night-heron nest. It was much smaller than a completed one, but offered
some hope they'd successfully gotten one started. They weren't working
on it while I was there, though.
        If these birds breed now, a month and a half late, it will be
interesting to see if they pull off a brood. Certainly weather shouldn't
be an obstacle: in some years, young night-herons from this colony have
fledged and departed by the fourth of July, leaving, you'd think, plenty
of warm nights and presumably food for late nesters.
        One can be dejected by the failure of these birds to do something as
basic as construct a new nest, even if they've never done so before. But
it is also inspiring to see them keep at it. This is a very durable
colony, with many records of five young per nest, and they seem to evade
predation pretty well, sharing the block with a longstanding pair of
Cooper's hawks. Let's wish them well.
Bill Whan
Columbus

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