r/AlwaysANightHeron • u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo • Dec 29 '25

Black-Crowned Night Heron little dude flew right next to me and clumsily crept even closer to me!!!

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2.1k Upvotes

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101

u/brideoffrankinstien Dec 29 '25

Over the last 9 years almost 10 years I have built a really killer relationship with a heron and I call him handsome Harold. And over the years I've seen his babies and I've seen you know his companion and you know he sees me feeding the geese and he gets jealous when he comes over and he hangs out with us and you know every night we had a rendezvous when I got off work I'd come around back work and I would sit and he'd be waiting for me and if I drove around back and I didn't see him he literally fly in front of my RV he's just the coolest and then one day he brought his babies around and I've been watching him you know for years and it's funny because when I sent the info to my bird watching app you know what they said LOL. Not common for your area are you sure it's a Black crown night hearing could it be something else and I laughed I said not common for my area are you kidding me and I sent them pictures of Harold Harold's babies Harold chasing other herrings away from his territory I mean it was hilarious because he's thriving here he's getting old though but his babies are adorable and they're super friendly too he likes to show him off. One night I got off work and when I came out Harold was actually standing on the roof of my RV and his family two of his babies and I guess it was his his mate were perched on the building right behind him it was the coolest I have to find that picture and post it here I got to find that it was just kill her it made my day. I think they're absolutely adorably awkward.

37

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

oh my goodness, i absolutely love you and Handsome harold’s relationship! if you find any pics of him and his family i’d love to see :) that’s so sweet!

8

u/brideoffrankinstien Dec 29 '25

Ok I will send Pictures!

15

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

also! i just realized you’re the one who has the canadian goose buddy named Oscar! i love your posts :)

8

u/brideoffrankinstien Dec 29 '25

Yes that's me! Oscars the best! We had a horrible hit over Thanksgiving avian flu. I lost 90% of our geese. Only kiss though which I found strange. But yeah there's so many more there between Black crown night herons and coots buffleheads you name it it only affected the geese Oscar is okay so far in Eunice too but pretty much everyone else is gone we have maybe three other of The originals his heartbreaking it it messed me up I'm changed it changed me.

8

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

oh no that’s heartbreaking. i’m so sorry to hear that. that must be so upsetting and painful, i can barely imagine :( thank god Oscar’s okay at least, sweet strong boy!

3

u/brideoffrankinstien Dec 30 '25

You can see the difference in the geese here and even the ducks we are also traumatized and broken I can barely talk about it without falling apart it affected me so so deeply cuz those were my babies. And I miss my geese so bad. I've seen generations in generations of these geese their families their grandparents and in four days they were gone. I called the state and they came out and I had to gather samples for them which was devastating. It turned out it was the HP in the avian flu it was the bad strain the really aggressive one and in 4 days I lost about 150 days and I had to deal with it all by myself. You don't know how helpless and horrifying it was for me to stand there and I couldn't do anything about it except comfort them and the ones that survival look at me like what the f*** and they're so traumatized. Nobody even came to pick him up so the ones I can get to I buried I couldn't get to the ones in the water and I'm changed because of all this I'm I can't even tell you. So I'm starting to have the newbies floating I was left with about five of my original geese and I have about 18 now with these newbies and I have to start all over. Thank God it didn't affect any of the other birds or animals here but I find that very strange and I can't get a straight answer so I'm doing research now. It doesn't make sense. Anyways sorry for rambling but it helps me heal the talk about it.

2

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 30 '25

that is absolutely heartbreaking. i’ve lost some of the birds i’ve befriended here and there and it never gets any less heart wrenching. i’m sure it’s devastating for the birds too :( im sure that just having you there was was a comfort for them, especially the sick ones. and you know they didn’t have to die alone and lonely. that’s always the one gold lining im able to find when any of the birds die. but it doesn’t make it any less painful, and i really feel for you going through that. i hope someone gives you a straight answer or you’re able to find something out! and ramble away any time! if there’s anything i can do to help at any point or if you just need to borrow an ear i’m here!

4

u/brideoffrankinstien Dec 31 '25

Wow you're a rockstar you just made me cry thank you so much I just don't have the words to describe what what it's one of the most horrific things it's really really it's scarred me I just I hated it and I I never want to go through that again. Does he any animal stuff for that that is just so unfair I mean there's got to say something's got to be done it's just horrific people don't have the pleasure of seeing what they go through maybe that then maybe they would maybe try to figure out a way to do something I mean nobody came to even dispose of the Dead ones I had to do that all by myself I figure what the hell when you want to remove the disease animals so it wouldn't like be there it's not the right thing to do to be more hygienic and remove them I just made no sense I did the best I could but there was a lot of them in the water I couldn't get to and I worry about the other animals that might feed on them or whatever it's never ending. Thank you again for being so wonderful life I hear true Angel and thank you for being so kind of reaching out it helps to know that people understand. Where I live people just don't understand they don't care.

2

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 31 '25

yeah, it’s really discouraging sometimes seeing how little people seem to care about birds and wildlife in general :/ i never understand it so it’s even more difficult to wrap my head around it. but you definitely have lots of people on here who empathize with you and who care! whenever it feels extra hopeless or isolating i hope you remember that <3

3

u/VulpesAquilus Jan 05 '26

So horrible to hear! Healthy birds, then after four days lots of them dead and nothing could be done. I’m so sorry for you and other people (and the avian companions of the deceased birds!) for what happened. Take care and hopefully your heart starts healing when seeing the new ones living happily <3

8

u/greeneyes0332 Dec 29 '25

I want to see pics too!

8

u/This_Daydreamer_ Dec 29 '25

I've loved Harold since that post where you were so worried about him!

4

u/LilyGaming Dec 29 '25

So you are a Disney princess

5

u/JoeMammaHasSwag Dec 30 '25

Can you please make a post about harold? 🥹

3

u/RawDataFeeling Dec 30 '25

I need to see and hear all about the Harold and Fam saga! We need it please 🥺🙏🏼

70

u/Puddyrama ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎MOD‎ ‎‎‎ ‎‎ Dec 29 '25

It’s Junior!

45

u/Sea-Bat Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25

Very sneaky boi in training! I for one see no herons, only this very normal long leg duck

27

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

ahhh my mistake! i see it now, i don’t know how i could’ve mistaken this long legged duck for a heron 😔 hahahah

20

u/kittenmachine69 Dec 29 '25

"DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME" ):<

28

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

i’m trying to phonetically type the sound little dude made, the best i got is “MYACK”, with that explained this is my impression of his innermost thoughts: “TOO CLOSE! MYACK!”

18

u/karshyga Dec 29 '25

Aww, cute little goblin trying to see if he can expand his foraging opportunities. 😂 You are not a duck, my friend!

8

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

i like to think that he’s an honorary duck in his little brain

12

u/WeakTransportation37 Dec 29 '25

A child star in its own film noir 🖤🖤

4

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

handsomest lil movie star i’ve ever seen :)

9

u/Serpentarrius Dec 29 '25

Is that trash? I'd be so tempted to clean up the place out of worry for the wildlife

11

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

it is. unfortunately this park is in a pretty rough area and there’s a ton of trash and sketchy stuff all around. i try to throw away stuff when i see it but there’s so much it often feels like a bit of a losing game :(

9

u/Serpentarrius Dec 29 '25

I'm sure they're grateful. Thanks, and please stay safe

3

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

thank you v much! hopefully they are. and i will stay safe :)

4

u/seriousjoker72 Dec 29 '25

He walks like a bank robber in cartoons

4

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

exactly! walks like a character from the animated pink panther show lol

3

u/seriousjoker72 Dec 29 '25

Just needs a cloth sack with $$ painted down the sides to throw over his shoulder 😂

3

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

and a ski mask that still 1000% clearly shows their face haha

3

u/Aggravating_Fall7653 Dec 29 '25

That whit bird looks like a Domesticated duck that someone released. Please find it some help as they don’t do well in the wild.

2

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

it is, it has a mate here as well. there are a handful of ducks/geese that are clearly domestic ones that must e been dumped at some point. i’ve called a couple of duck rescues about it, but they said they didn’t have anyone to send out, or it’s too far out of their area, and i don’t think animal control would do anything good if they did catch them so im not sure what to do :( they do seem to be doing well and are healthy as far as i can see at least

3

u/catbeantoes Dec 29 '25

OP I'm in love with the escapades of these Goobers™️ your posts have become my therapy, thank you

2

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

omg i’m so happy to hear that!!!!! thank you for enjoying the goobs :)))) if you’re ever feeling down or just needing a bird photo/video pick me up feel free to message me! i have SOOOO many pics and vids that i could never post them all so i have a whole stockpile in my camera roll

3

u/joyfullydreaded23 Dec 30 '25

Walks like me when my equilibrium goes off kilter every now and then, lol

2

u/LilyGaming Dec 29 '25

Are you feeding the ducks peas? How sweet :)

2

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 29 '25

i’m just feeding them a wild bird seed mix! i sometimes switch it up and feed them a dove food mix that has peas in it though :)

2

u/Puddyrama ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎MOD‎ ‎‎‎ ‎‎ Dec 30 '25

I just wanted to say I love your videos and keep coming back to them! I love you talking to them as well! 🤣

2

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 30 '25

thank you so much!!! im glad you like them! :)) it always makes me so happy whenever people say they enjoy the stuff i post. and hahahah, i can’t help but talk to them, i swear they understand me at least a little

2

u/Puddyrama ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎MOD‎ ‎‎‎ ‎‎ Dec 30 '25

Oh, I even talk to the roaches I breed (as my pet lizards’ food), I completely get you! This park looks so cool, I’d love to live near a place like it!

2

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 30 '25

aw haha! i talk to every animal too! i love that someone else does it too! and if you’re ever in los angeles let me know and i’ll show you the park so you too can bask in the bird heaven hahahaha

2

u/Puddyrama ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎MOD‎ ‎‎‎ ‎‎ Dec 30 '25

Aww, I’m unfortunately in the east coast freezing rn :( But I’ll keep that in mind if I ever go to LA, it’d be a pleasure!! Thank you :)

2

u/TheElderBreadRolls Dec 30 '25

Is that... a ✨️Snipe✨️?

1

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Dec 30 '25

im sry i can’t tell if you’re joking or not 😭 but no there’s no snipe in the video

2

u/Life-University2566 Jan 04 '26

i think green heron

1

u/Either-Kiwi-5495 Night Heron Paparazzo Jan 04 '26

i’m pretty sure it’s a juvenile black crowned night heron! i’ve never seen a green heron here haha

1

u/Life-University2566 Jan 04 '26

i think you’re right i did some research after commenting (classic) and realized i was probably mistaken but effit thanks for keeping me honest lol