The wading bird that I see most frequently from my house, is the Little Blue Heron. It is constantly walking the pond shoreline looking for prey. However, identification can be tricky.
The juvenile Little Blue starts out all white. It can easily be confused with the Snowy Egret, as both are white 24-inch-tall birds. A distinguishing feature is bill color. The Snowy Egret has yellow lores and a black bill (not to mention its yellow “slippers.”) The Little Blue Heron has a gray bill with a black tip, as shown here (and no yellow “slippers”).
After its first winter, the Little Blue begins to molt from white to blue plumage. So, it becomes a splotchy mess of white and blue.
By summer, molting is complete, and it is now an all-blue adult. It keeps that black-tipped grey bill through it all.
Happy birding!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
• Every Saturday, 8:30 a.m., Nature Walk at Audubon Pennington Park, 1153 Alton Rd., Port Charlotte.
• June through September, No scheduled walks or programs, other than Pennington Park, which will occur most Saturdays.
You do not have to be a member of PRAS to join us. Participation is free, and registration is not required. Visit the website at http://www.peaceriveraudubonsociety.org for all the details, or give me a call: Rick Read, BSM resident at 574-870-2695 for information or car-pooling
