Ratings are sky-high for blue heron nest show

My daughter said it was an awesome sight. She understated the scene. The great blue heron colony looks like something out of National Geographic or Animal Planet. But it is right here in our own backyard, just north of the Kenmore Park & Ride.

Monday a couple of dozen great blue herons were perched on branches, sitting on the edge of nests or stretching their wings. While we watched, one flew to a nest, carrying a branch the size of an umbrella handle. Even though I've seen herons often — we're lucky enough to have one who frequents our backyard stream at home — seeing a community of the large birds was a rare treat.

According to Hugh Jennings of the East Lake Washington Audubon Society, this is an annual event for these magnificent creatures. The great blues have been returning to the colony for more than a decade. They start by cleaning and refurbishing nests and then set up housekeeping in the deciduous trees. The dramatic panorama will be an active scene for the next two months as the birds mate, lay eggs, hatch and then raise their babies.

Jennings said about 30 to 40 nests are in the trees but typically only 20 or so get used.

Audubon members will set up bird-spotting scopes for public viewing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the north end of the Park & Ride (Bothell Way and 73rd Avenue Northeast).

Another vantage point is the Kenmore Library, where a camcorder tracks the colony activities.

Jennings said another good great blue heron viewing site is Medina Park, Northeast 12th Street and 82nd Avenue Northeast.

Eagles nest in Carnation

Eagles are big in the Knox family. Debbie and Danny Knox of Carnation have five sons; three have earned their Eagle Scout badges, the highest rank possible in Boy Scouts.

Son number three, Hunter, recently finished his project and paperwork. Although Hunter dives for Eastlake High School in Sammamish, he's been home-schooled like his brothers. He will attend Bellevue Community College in the fall.

Brothers Rory, 22, and Barrett, 20, both attend BCC now but will transfer to other schools in the fall. Rory earned his Eagle Scout badge in 2004; Barrett in 2006.

There may be more Knox Eagles in the future. Younger sons Connor, 15, and Kiernan, 8, are both in Boy Scouts.

"Because all our sons have been home-schooled, Boy Scouts have been a big part of their social life," said Debbie Knox.

Knox said she and her husband did not set the example.

"I was a Girl Scout and my husband was a Cub Scout, but we didn't pursue it or go very far in Scouting," she said. "Our sons are more driven than we were."

Holy junk mail!

Like most of us, Stu Vander Hoek gets plenty of unsolicited mail that ends up in the recycling bin. But he kept a recent mailing from the city of Bellevue as a souvenir.

"I've been called a lot of things, but this title is a new one," he said.

The envelope was addressed to him at Vanderhoek Corp. — his real-estate company off Old Main in Bellevue. The greeting was to: Religious Leader Stu Vander Hoek.

Snow day?

If it snows today, blame it on Stuart and Karen Poage at the Yakima Fruit Market & Nursery. Today is opening day for the popular Bothell landmark on Bothell Way and it has been a long-standing tradition that it snows or hails, no matter what the weatherman predicted, Stuart said.

"It is supposed to be sunny, so this might be a first," Poage said.

Snow, rain or sunshine — the Poages welcome shoppers on the first day with free cake and coffee.

Sherry Grindeland: 206-515-5633 or sgrindeland@seattletimes.com