Great Blue Heron Chicks: Begging and sibling rivalry

Great Blue Heron Chicks: Sounds of begging and rivalry

First the kids are playing and watching.  At 0:30 they start their begging sounds and soon after mom arrives.  Did they see her or did she hear them.  The begging started abruptly so I suspect they saw her coming.  They do their feeding thing (beak biting and pulling mom's head down) until 2:40.  At this time,  mom appears to have regurgitated a large piece of fish, hold it in her mouth and then deposits it on the floor of their nest.  She tires of all the noise, so she sneaks off to the right, and departs.  

In the background are two not so small chicks from the other nest - on top right and one behind the nest.  The upper chick took her first leap (that I've seen) from one limb to another.  Usually she hops from one limb to another using her wings to maintain balance.  I suspect this is the last step before full flight.

April 27, 2017
These not so small chicks (6 weeks old) appear to know when mom is coming -  Enough so that I can start a video before she arrives and capture the entire feeding episode.  At 2:40, she regurgitates something (probably fish) and holds it in her mouth before placing it on the floor of the nest.

April 28, 2017

This morning, the chicks reacted to mom's coming ( I could not see her approaching, though). Initially they were erect, and when they sensed mom approaching the assumed a crouching position, I assume so they could fight of whatever she regurgitates.

Some photos of the Great Blue Heron 6 week old chicks

Mom arrives with breakfast

Two chicks having a discussion

Green Heron Series - I've found a green heron nest under the great blue heron nest.  The male and female have built a nest and she has produced 1 egg.  Here are some photos of the mom, dad and nest

Mom on egg

Dad

Mom

Mom in assertive mode (feathers erect)