Jim peered into the distance and trained his 10-times-magnification binoculars on a yellow-crowned night heron with plumes that fluttered down its back like ribbons.

Some 58 bird species build their nests at this wetland, including the yellow-crowned night heron, one of many that migrate from the southeastern United States.

One of them, a yellow-crowned night heron, is nocturnal, while the other, a little blue heron, is active during the day.

A yellow-crowned night heron popped up at its usual spot on a bayou.

“I was out on Piermont Marsh, which is about 4 miles from here, with my son Brooklyn in his canoe on Sunday and we saw a yellow-crowned night heron fly right by us.”