Great Blue Heron Rookery in Polk County

[Roy Adolphson]

Tuesday (3/16) at 10:00 a.m. I checked out the big sycamore tree along Walnut Creek north of Hickman Road & west of Deer Creek Trail in Urbandale to see if the herons were back.  I was able to see at least 6 Great Blue Herons standing upright in nests.  In the brief time I was there, a Red-tailed Hawk carrying a large stick in its mouth flew in and landed on a nest in the upper center of the tree.  Apparently it was taking over an old heron nest.  The herons that were present did not seem to pay any attention to the hawk. 

 

Roy Adolphson

Polk County (DSM)