Egrets? Herons? Help... (6 pictures0

[luisv]

These fellas are everywhere... taken on a local pier on Anna Maria Island, FL after Hurricane Dennis passed us. Please help with the currect name... boy do I need to learn more...

Enjoying the breeze fom Dennis:
http://www.vazweb.com/images/cdp_forums/IMG_9679.JPG

Looking for a small baitfish:
http://www.vazweb.com/images/cdp_forums/IMG_9681.JPG

Waiting for a meal from a fisherman:
http://www.vazweb.com/images/cdp_forums/IMG_9685.JPG

Eyeballing small feeder fish on the surface:
http://www.vazweb.com/images/cdp_forums/IMG_9779.JPG

Looking right at me:
http://www.vazweb.com/images/cdp_forums/IMG_9792.JPG

Zoomed in for a closer look:
http://www.vazweb.com/images/cdp_forums/IMG_9807.JPG

[AJ Montgomery]

Looks to me to be Little Egrets, which are very similar to the Snowy Egret. This/these appear to be breeding adults as well.

[RonnF]

Hi luisv,
You took some very nice pictures of a Snowy Egret. I've included info from:http://www.assateague.com/sn-egret.html

Ron


The Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Photographed in May 2004 along the beach road.
Distinguished from the great egret by its smaller size , its black bill, and yellow feet, the snowy egret can be spotted on Assateague from spring through fall, often along the refuge's Wildlife Loop (map) at the edge of the water in a marsh.

In the latter part of the 19th century and into the early twentieth, snowy egret plumes were very popular on hats. The result was that these birds were hunted until they were nearly extinct.

Found along much of the East Coast and elsewhere in the U.S., snowy egrets spend the winter from South Carolina southward. Their main foods are fish, crabs, amphibians, and insects.

Snowy egrets breed once a year, and females lay three to five greenish blue eggs that hatch in three to four weeks. Their platform-like nests are built primarily of twigs and are located in trees (about seven feet, more or less, above the ground) or even on the ground.

As with other herons, the crudeness of the nest, the elliptical form of the egg, and other signs suggest to some scientists that these birds are one of the lower forms on the scale of bird life, not far removed from the reptiles, when one reckons in eons of time.

[AJ Montgomery]

After further review, I correct my initial input and now firmly believe these to be Snowy Egrets. The detail that has changed my mind is the fact that the lores cross the bill below the eyes whereas on the Little Egret, the lores do not cross the bill, rather, the head feathers grow all the way to the bill between the eyes.

[luisv]

Thanks for the info... I've changed the title of the thread to Snowy Egrets... I appreciate the info...

[LazyPhotographer]

Beautiful captures..

[luisv]

Thanks LazyPhotographer...

[RonnF]

Oops. I may have replied too soon. I'd never even heard of a Little Egret before but AJ may be correct.

Check out:

http://www.oceanwanderers.com/LTEGRT.html
and
http://www.geocities.com/secaribbirds/ttlittleegret

Even after reading those two sites, it appears to be a Snowy to me but I readily defer to the experts.


Ron

[luisv]

No problem Ron... I appreciate the help...

[dale65bama]

Snowy egret (Egretta thula). Listed by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission as a "species of special concern." These are beauties! In areas where they are accustomed to people on foot, they are nearly fearless. This is the "bird with the golden slippers.":)

[luisv]

Thanks dale65bama... they truly are beautiful birds and are don't mind being around people.