June 26, 2023, was a bad day for some egrets in Portsmouth, Virginia. A set of wicked storms with winds up to 80 mph blew adult egrets and their chicks out of their nests. Many nests were destroyed. Fortunately, many of the chicks were rescued and have now been rehabilitated and released.
Egrets often nest in colonies. They like stands of tall loblolly pines close to, but often not actually on, the water. There are four major colonies in southeastern Virginia, one of which is in Portsmouth. There can be several nests in one tree. Each nest usually contains three or four eggs, but there can be as many as six. Egret chicks are able to fly when they are just 6-7 weeks old.
