
Great blue herons have returned to the Chesapeake Bay to nest/Chesapeake Bay Conservancy
They're back, two weeks early, to nest along the Chesapeake Bay. This webcam operated by the Chesapeake Conservancy is focused on a nest the great blue herons hopefully will raise some young in this spring.
Viewers Sunday night noticed great blue heron at several nests featured by the rotating cam and were treated to quite a show of their mating rituals. The cam has been upgraded this year with better panning and zooming capabilities, higher resolution, and a strong infrared camera for clear night views.
According to the Conservancy, Great blue herons select new mates every year, laying 2-7 eggs. These eggs are then incubated approximately 28 days until hatching. The young are then fed for around 60 days in the nest by both parents. Once the chicks are able to fly they leave the nest, however they still rely on their parents for food for a few more weeks until they can properly hunt on their own.
Great blue herons often can be seen by those exploring the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.
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