There is something magical about watching large birds glide through the air from tree to tree.  Yellow Crown Night-Herons are rare in this part of the country. So why are they in a midwest suburban neighborhood? They’re most likely found in coastal marshes, barrier islands, and mangroves south of here. Their diet leans heavily on crabs and crayfish, so what do they find in our trees? Maybe this is another sign of global warming, nothing is staying “normal.” I’ve been birding for enough years to expect the unexpected, but still…  A friend showed me these night-herons  and said they have been returning to that tree for seven years. I counted six adults and two or three nests; a strange surprise.