{"id":34314,"date":"2015-12-20T06:14:27","date_gmt":"2015-12-20T13:14:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=34314"},"modified":"2025-09-21T18:47:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T23:47:06","slug":"juvenile-black-crowned-night-heron-on-ice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/12\/20\/juvenile-black-crowned-night-heron-on-ice\/","title":{"rendered":"Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron On Ice"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"JuvenileJuvenile Black-crowned Night Heron on ice – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Last week I mentioned in my post on the Great Egret resting in snow<\/span><\/a> that Great Blue and Black-crowned Night Herons are year round residents here in northern Utah and I wanted to post another one of our wading birds in the winter today. These wading birds have to be tough to survive the cold and find food when the water is frozen over and prey is hard to find.<\/p>\n

On a January morning in 2013 I photographed this juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron on ice for about a half an hour at Farmington Bay<\/span><\/a>. I photographed it for so long that I could see the thin layer of frost on the ice melt in a circular pattern around its feet.<\/p>\n

Last winter I didn’t see Black-crowned Herons very often and that could have been because the winter was so mild and the herons could easily hunt in the marshes without being seen.<\/p>\n

This past week to ten days I have seen several juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons at Farmington Bay and that might be happening because of the thick layer of snow we have had.<\/p>\n

I haven’t gotten images of them out in the open as much as this juvenile was when I photographed it but I must admit it is nice to see these stocky night herons again in the winter.<\/p>\n

Warm temps the last few days melted some of the snow that fell last week but the forecast for this week looks snowy and it might even be a white Christmas.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Black-crowned Night Heron photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On a January morning in 2013 I photographed this juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron on ice for about a half an hour at Farmington Bay. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":157430,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,321,1022,697,26],"tags":[1533,3983,627,626,4064,4067,4071,56,4094,3956,3957,4292,4156,4001,4095,373,4193],"class_list":["post-34314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-black-crowned-night-herons","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-utah","tag-black-crowned-night-heron","tag-frost","tag-heron","tag-herons","tag-ice","tag-immature","tag-juvenile","tag-juveniles-2","tag-marsh","tag-night-heron","tag-night-herons","tag-nycticorax-nycticorax","tag-resting","tag-wading-bird","tag-wetlands","tag-winter","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/black-crowned-night-heron-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-7924.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-8Vs","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":109677,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/01\/18\/immature-black-crowned-night-heron\/","url_meta":{"origin":34314,"position":0},"title":"Immature Black-crowned Night Heron – Where Are The Birds?","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 18, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"While going through my archives I found this photo of a fishing immature Black-crowned Night Heron taken 10 years ago today at Farmington Bay WMA.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Black-crowned Night Heron fishing, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/black-crowned-night-heron-young-fishing-mia-mcpherson-2077.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/black-crowned-night-heron-young-fishing-mia-mcpherson-2077.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/black-crowned-night-heron-young-fishing-mia-mcpherson-2077.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/black-crowned-night-heron-young-fishing-mia-mcpherson-2077.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7033,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/01\/06\/juvenile-black-crowned-night-heron-a-winter-treat\/","url_meta":{"origin":34314,"position":1},"title":"Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron – A Winter Treat","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 6, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I've mentioned before that Great Blue Herons stay in the Salt Lake Valley over winter even though the temperatures get very cold and so do some of the Black-crowned Night Herons.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Black-crowned Night Heron, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-crowned-night-heron-immature-ice-mia-mcpherson-8088.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-crowned-night-heron-immature-ice-mia-mcpherson-8088.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-crowned-night-heron-immature-ice-mia-mcpherson-8088.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-crowned-night-heron-immature-ice-mia-mcpherson-8088.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":118586,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/11\/27\/winter-black-crowned-night-heron-in-flight\/","url_meta":{"origin":34314,"position":2},"title":"Winter Black-crowned Night Heron In Flight","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 27, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"While going through my archives this morning, I found this photo of a Black-crowned Night Heron in flight. It was taken in the marsh at Farmington Bay WMA in 2021.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Winter Black-crowned Night Heron in flight, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/black-crowned-night-heron-adult-flight-marsh-mia-mcpherson-6511.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/black-crowned-night-heron-adult-flight-marsh-mia-mcpherson-6511.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/black-crowned-night-heron-adult-flight-marsh-mia-mcpherson-6511.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/black-crowned-night-heron-adult-flight-marsh-mia-mcpherson-6511.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":76795,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/12\/30\/second-winter-black-crowned-night-heron\/","url_meta":{"origin":34314,"position":3},"title":"Second Winter Black-crowned Night Heron","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 30, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning at Farmington Bay I found and photographed a second winter Black-crowned Night Heron at the edge of the frozen marsh.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Second winter Black-crowned Night Heron, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/black-crowned-night-heron-second-year-mia-mcpherson-3662.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/black-crowned-night-heron-second-year-mia-mcpherson-3662.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/black-crowned-night-heron-second-year-mia-mcpherson-3662.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/black-crowned-night-heron-second-year-mia-mcpherson-3662.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":101968,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/04\/29\/adult-black-crowned-night-heron-in-flight\/","url_meta":{"origin":34314,"position":4},"title":"Adult Black-crowned Night Heron In Flight","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 29, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Almost a year ago I had this adult Black-crowned Night Heron in my viewfinder as it flew in front of the Promontory Mountains at Bear River MBR.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Black-crowned Night Heron flying in front of the Promontory Mountains, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/black-crowned-night-heron-adult-flight-mia-mcpherson-2033.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/black-crowned-night-heron-adult-flight-mia-mcpherson-2033.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/black-crowned-night-heron-adult-flight-mia-mcpherson-2033.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/black-crowned-night-heron-adult-flight-mia-mcpherson-2033.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7181,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/01\/19\/some-fun-with-birds-from-yesterday\/","url_meta":{"origin":34314,"position":5},"title":"Some Fun With Birds From Yesterday","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 19, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"A wonderful fun-filled day with great companionship and plenty of birds. I can't ask for more.","rel":"","context":"In "American Barn Owls"","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chukar running on a snow covered rock on Antelope Island State Park, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-snow-antelope-island-mia-mcpherson-1790.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-snow-antelope-island-mia-mcpherson-1790.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-snow-antelope-island-mia-mcpherson-1790.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-snow-antelope-island-mia-mcpherson-1790.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34314"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34314\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/157430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}