Birds'-eye View

Dr. Lou Newman has photographed wildlife on six continents.

But some of the most colorful creatures Newman has photographed are found close to home for the Plymouth Harbor resident at the Plymouth Harbor Bird Rookery, which is home to approximately 550 birds and at least 15 different species, six of which nest in the rookery.

Newman’s latest photographs capture the newest hatchlings at Plymouth Harbor, many of which are preparing to spread their wings.

Great blue heron
Great blue heron chicks have fledged (begun to successfully fly) from two nests at the rookery, while two healthy chicks remain in the third. According to Newman, young great blue herons are especially fun to watch as they become more adventurous and learn to fly and fish. The only thing that ruffles their feathers? The crows, which come from two nests in the rookery’s banyan trees. In response, the great blue heron nestlings squawk, twist and turn — before giving up and flying to a distant part of the lagoon.

Anhinga
The two anhinga chicks pictured here hatched from the nest of a pair of anhingas that nested in the rookery. Four days later, a smaller pair of chicks hatched from the same nest. After 10 days, the smaller chicks disappeared, and a few days later, one of the original chicks was found dead. But the adults continued to feed the surviving chick, which grew and developed feathering. Newman believes he has probably spread his wings — and successfully fledged.

Black-crowned night heron
The black-crowned night heron usually seems to rule the roost at the Plymouth Harbor Bird Rookery. There were 10 nesting pairs, all of which appeared to produce two successful chicks. In past years, the rookery was filled with young black-crowned night herons. But, this year, it appears that more chicks than usual were knocked out of or fell out of their nests. This year, just two or three young black-crowned night herons can be found in the rookery on a given day. According to Newman, the birds possibly fell prey to two great-horned owls that roost in North Lido Park that have been spotted at least twice at the rookery. Although some residents were concerned that raccoons or feral cats were preying on both the black-crowned night heron and green heron chicks, no sightings of either critters have been reported.

Green herons
The green heron’s incubation period is just 21 days. By 11 days after hatching, the birds walk around the nest. They fledge at 21 days, and after 28 days, they’re on their own.
Five green heron nests hatched at the Plymouth Harbor Bird Rookery this year, but the chicks in four nests disappeared within 48 hours of hatching. Adults abandoned the nests and were found perched nearby. Three chicks in the fifth nest survived approximately 10 days before an attack by one or two black-crowned night herons. Two of the green heron chicks were missing, but one survived and was spotted standing beside an adult, although 48 hours after the attack, the chick was missing.

About the Photographer
Dr. Lou Newman is a retired veterinarian who owned a beef-cattle ranch in Montana before earning a doctorate in veterinary pathology and becoming a professor. In retirement, he put increasing energy into wildlife photography, which had always been a hobby. You can see more of his photographs in his latest exhibit, “Wildlife Babies: Wildlife Youngsters of Animals and Birds,” which is on display through Oct. 20, at Plymouth Harbor’s Mezzanine Art Gallery, 700 John Ringling Blvd.