FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Great White Heron continues

[Phoebetria@xxxxxxx]

The superb Great White Heron found by Mike Stinson at Briery Lake, Prince 
Edward County, was still present yesterday from 1430 to 1500; the bird has 
been here for nearly a month now.  This location is straight south of 
Farmville (from the Rte 460 bypass take Rte 15 south for 5.3 miles to Rte 
790, turn right here and go to the last parking lot on the lake).  The bird 
was best observed on a little marshy island by walking to the end of the 
boardwalk-pier, but it could be seen from other vantages as well, including 
the parking lot.  The lake is small, and I imagine it would be hard to miss 
this bird.  It's a great find, one of few records for the state, and one 
wonders how many might pass undetected, passed off as Great Egrets.  
Taxonomically, this is a puzzling bird; it might not be the case that it 
remains categorized as a subspecies/morph for too much longer.  

A question for Lynchburg/Farmville birders: I photographed a juv. 
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at 1700 in the Appomattox River, where it's 
crossed by Main Street, in downtown Farmville yesterday.  Is this species a 
"normal" fall visitor?  I never saw the species around Albemarle County in 
the 9 years I lived there.  Out here on the coast, I have records of young 
birds that extend, exceptionally, almost to Christmas, but it's rare to see 
one this late here; almost all are gone by late September.  (I was really 
glad to get a lot of feedback about Ravens in the southern Piedmont this past 
summer, so any chat about night-herons would be welcome!)

Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA
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