[va-richmond-general] Various Herons at Belle Island
- From: Robert McLemore <grousek9@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Richmond Birders <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:31:47 -0700 (PDT)
I went kayaking yesterday morning around Belle Island with some friends. While
out, we saw a variety of Herons & egrets. Since I usually don't see many beyond
the Great Blue Heron, I'd hope someone can weigh in on some of these. We saw 7
Great Blues, 4 Greens, and what I think was a Tri-colored and a Cattle Egret.
Those of you with more experience with the Cattle Egret, please let me know
your thoughts. I thought it was a Snowy Egret, but it had a serious yellow
bill. As we kayaked, it would fly to along with us and perch on rocks, mud,
etc. searching for food. I thought it was a snowy, because it was in a large
channel flowing behind Belle Island and I thought Cattle Egrets were more
landlubbers. But the yellow bill (dark legs, don't believe it had yellow feet,
and was a smallish heron) made me think Cattle Egret. No orange/buff breeding
feathers.
The second was what I think was a tri-colored. Again, it let us get real close
which I hadn't seen with a Great Blue. It's feathers were more slate colored,
didn't have the black supercilium, and seemed to have a more white belly.
Looking it up, I think tricolored. However, I haven't seen any postings re: a
tricolor on the James and don't have the confidence that I'm the first in this
community to see one.
Please let me know what you think either on this forum or directly. Thanks!
Robert McLemore
Maidens, VA
(BTW - This morning I was startled to see a Cooper's hawk take out a robin
while I was out on a morning run. Everything always happens when I don't have a
camera or binoculars on hand.)
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