The Great Blue Herons have returned to Golden Gate Park

and built five nests on an island near the Stow Lake waterfall.

The first chicks hatched on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.

The non-profit organization San Francisco Nature Education

will conduct its annual free Heron Watch program at Stow Lake

starting April 15, and running every Saturday through

May 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The observation site is located

not far from the Stow Lake Boathouse – just past the Roman

Bridge on the path that circles the lake. Volunteers with spotting

scopes will show the herons and their chicks and explain the

herons’ behavior. Signs will be posted at the boathouse and in

front of the observation site.

Great Blue Herons nesting at Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park. Photo by David Sullivan.

In addition, naturalists will lead birding walks around Stow

Lake on each of the six Saturdays during the heron nesting

season. Walks leave the observationsite at 10:15 a.m. and

return at 12:15 p.m. Adults are $10 and children are free.

Children receive free journals while supplies last.

For more information, go to the website at http://www.sfnature.org

or call (415) 205-0776.

– Nancy DeStefanis