Spotted this little heron on Saturday near Hamilton Ontario.
First time I've ever seen one.
After some checking and guesswork I decided it was a Least Bittern
Was I correct?
http://www.whatbird....bittern-120901/
14 replies to this topic
#1
Gordo
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#2
JimBob
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Posted 03 September 2012 - 01:27 PM
Green Heron. Least Bitterns are very secretive. . . probably wouldn't see one out like this.
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#3
Gordo
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Posted 03 September 2012 - 01:36 PM
A Green Heron?
I though they were bigger (Not that I've ever knowingly seen one.)
This bird was maybe 9-10 inches long and for the first half hour kept itself secreted within a tangle of fallen branches at the waters edge. It came out into the sun only briefly and grabbed a dragonfly seconds after this picture was taken (and I got pics of that too!)
I though they were bigger (Not that I've ever knowingly seen one.)
This bird was maybe 9-10 inches long and for the first half hour kept itself secreted within a tangle of fallen branches at the waters edge. It came out into the sun only briefly and grabbed a dragonfly seconds after this picture was taken (and I got pics of that too!)
#4
Adore707
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Posted 03 September 2012 - 01:47 PM
It's a Green Heron. They're surprisingly smaller than you'd expect but still in the 16-18" range.
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#5
Gordo
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Posted 03 September 2012 - 01:47 PM
Not that I don't accept your ID. I do and I'm grateful for your help. It was awesome spending the better part of an hour with this bird (and then about the same at home trying to figure out what it was.)
With your help I've now explored further for Green Heron info & pics and it looks like 'my' heron is definitely belonging to that family. So this then is still a first ever new species sighting for me. I obviously have a long way to go with this whole positive ID thing. lol.
With your help I've now explored further for Green Heron info & pics and it looks like 'my' heron is definitely belonging to that family. So this then is still a first ever new species sighting for me. I obviously have a long way to go with this whole positive ID thing. lol.
#6
birdbrain22
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Posted 03 September 2012 - 02:03 PM
Yep, Green Heron there.
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#7
TheBillyPilgrim
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Posted 03 September 2012 - 02:32 PM
Definitely a Green Heron. An immature as well, due to the streaky neck and dull yellow-green legs (adults are much brighter).
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#9
Benjamin DeHaven
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Posted 03 September 2012 - 04:22 PM
I've never seen one do such a good Llama impression though. Very nice!
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#10
Gordo
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Posted 03 September 2012 - 04:48 PM
Definitely a Green Heron. An immature as well, due to the streaky neck and dull yellow-green legs (adults are much brighter).
I think that's what threw me off in my initial search. My heron didn't seem to match the Green Heron image & description I was looking at. I realize now the Green Heron example I used for comparison was an adult bird in full spring plumage/colors. Having since seen a number of juveniles in photos it's much easier to see that 'mine' is indeed one of the same.
Thanks again to everyone for the help!
#11
fisherman1313
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Posted 03 September 2012 - 06:47 PM
A Least Bittern is even smaller than a Green Heron. According to the NatGeo field guide Green Herons are 18 inches long w/ a wingspan of 26 inches, and a Least Bittern is 13 inches long w/ a wingspan of 17 inches. I've seen on Least Bittern and it was tiny. Pete Dunne, in his book Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion (which I think every birder should own) describes Least Bittern as a "Tiny heron [his itallics] (with neck folded, only slightly larger than a Red-winged Blackbird and about the size of a Virginia Rail)...In shape, most closely resembles Green Heron but much smaller."
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#12
Doug Herr
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Posted 03 September 2012 - 06:54 PM
Pete Dunne... describes Least Bittern as a "Tiny heron
Tiny is how I'd describe the Least Bittern too.
#13
Bird Brain
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Posted 03 September 2012 - 11:12 PM
Very nice photo, Doug! If you don't mind my asking, where did you find this beauty?
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#14
Doug Herr
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Posted 03 September 2012 - 11:37 PM
Very nice photo, Doug! If you don't mind my asking, where did you find this beauty?
This was in Martinez, Contra Costa county. I've seen them at the Yolo Bypass wildlife area too.
#15
sgmfla
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Posted 04 September 2012 - 01:17 AM
Fantastic photo!Tiny is how I'd describe the Least Bittern too.
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