[obol] juv. heron care

[Bobbett Pierce]

Karen Munday of Portland Audubon kindly shared with me how to get a fledged green heron out of a precarious location, so it can be found and cared for by the adults. I posted several days ago a note about releasing a fledged green heron onto the edge of a marsh. The bird had been found in a busy parking lot the previous day by an acquaintance and had to be moved.
Karen said that a better choice would have been to get the bird high enough off the ground in the immediate vicinity to be safe from cats and dogs (and cars). Moving it to wetlands was not necessary. Keep it close to where it was found so the adults can find and feed it until it's truly independent. 
Apparently green herons will nest in tall trees right in the suburbs nowadays, within a quarter mile of water. This puts young birds at risk when they wind up on the ground near the nest, waiting to be fed. She said the Audubon care center gets a lot of young green herons injured by pets.
I wanted to share this info, since juv. green herons are often found in the suburbs. If we are going to go to the trouble of trying to assist their survival, we might as well do it right: Up high nearby if imperiled on the ground, or feed it fish for up to a month! Or, take it to the care center.
Thanks to all who sent the nice comments, by the way. Lona Pierce, Warren in Columbia County
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