Sapsucker Blues

High above Sapsucker Pond, a male great blue heron returns to his mate for the third year in a row. Together, they set out on a beautiful adventure. In a nest as large as your bed, Mama Heron lays five little eggs; people watching online through webcams call the last one Fiver.

But now they face dangers, including a snowfall in April and a hungry owl. Mama and Papa Heron work hard to bring their five chicks into the world, and Fiver, is the last to hatch. The herons grow too big for their nest and must learn how to fly and hunt. After her siblings have learned to fly, Fiver takes her first leap from the nest-fifty feet off the ground. Can she do it?

This educational wildlife tale describes the lives of the great blue heron. Author and teacher Anita Schmidt-Kyanka follows the day-to-day events and challenges, providing original watercolor paintings as illustrations to immerse children in the beauty of nature.