| Author | Content |
bsharf
Palm Coast, FL (Zone 9a)
December 22, 2007 11:28 AM Post #4319051
| I spent yesterday photographing birds at Merritt Isl NWR. I will post them, but first I have 2 ID questions. Is this an immature Great Blue Heron? I've never before seen such a brown (rust) neck. At first I thought it was an immature reddish heron, but the legs are the wrong color, and its larger than the tricolor herons. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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bsharf
Palm Coast, FL (Zone 9a)
December 22, 2007 11:31 AM Post #4319054
| Is this Anhinga, an immature male, or a female? I would expect that the female's neck would be lighter than this. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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OldNed
Merritt Island, FL (Zone 10a)
December 22, 2007 12:11 PM Post #4319090
| Happy Birthday bsharf! Glad you spent it on the Refuge.
#1 is a Tricolored Heron. It's often difficult to judge size of birds without a point of reference...other birds of known size nearby etc.
#2 is a ♂ Anhinga-probably as you said- a juvenile-so has not yet reached full adult color. That silver-white area on the upper wings always looks brighter on ♂ birds-may just be the contrast with the black. He's perched on a white mangrove-one of the three mangrove species in North America-all three easily seen on the Refuge...guessing you were on the Black Point Wildlife Drive.
I lead beginner-birding trips on the Drive every Thursday until the end of March. Be happy to take you along on the 3-hour tour (maybe we'll see Gilligan). Should be able to get you positive IDs on 50-70 bird species plus maybe 'Gators, Otters, Feral Hogs and more.
Call Nancy Corona at the MINWR to sign up. (321) 861-0668
OldNed |
linthicum
Linthicum Heights, MD (Zone 7a)
December 22, 2007 1:26 PM Post #4319214
| As Old Ned stated, point of reference helps a lot. I encountered my first Tri-colored Heron here in Maryland earlier this year. Just looking at the Tri-colored Heron by itself didn't reflect the significant difference in size. Only after I looked at some of my photos did I note the big difference.
Here is a photo, at some distance, of a Great Blue Heron and a Tri-colored Heron.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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linthicum
Linthicum Heights, MD (Zone 7a)
December 22, 2007 1:31 PM Post #4319223
| And here is a photo of a Snowy Egret next to a Tri-colored Heron. Note that the Snowy is standing on a small stump. Anyway, it gives a good point of reference. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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pelletory
Marlton, NJ
December 22, 2007 2:11 PM Post #4319297
| Wonderful pics Bsharf! Happy Birthday!
Thanks for posting these pics!
Beautiful pics Linth! Love the one that shows the size difference. |
bsharf
Palm Coast, FL (Zone 9a)
December 22, 2007 2:28 PM Post #4319314
| Thanks everyone. Maybe I'll see you someday on your birding tour, Old Ned. Took a second to get the Gilligan reference. At first I thought that you meant a super expert birder named Gilligan, who was on your tour some times. Love the heron, egret photo. I was very excited to get 3 first time species photos.
Glossy Ibis 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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bsharf
Palm Coast, FL (Zone 9a)
December 22, 2007 2:29 PM Post #4319316
| Little Blue Heron 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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bsharf
Palm Coast, FL (Zone 9a)
December 22, 2007 2:33 PM Post #4319323
| Blue-winged Teal. Perfect day on Black Point Drive. Bright skies, perfect temperature, and only a few people, so I didn't feel rushed. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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akdoug
Wasilla, AK
December 22, 2007 2:48 PM Post #4319359
| What a great day of firsts you had. Thanks to you and all who contributed/
Doug |
bebop2
Van Etten, NY (Zone 5a)
December 22, 2007 2:58 PM Post #4319392
| Beautiful birds and beautiful photos everyone! |
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
December 22, 2007 3:52 PM Post #4319523
| Sounds like you had a perfect day!
Thanks for more lovely photos! |
Resin
Northumberland
United Kingdom (Zone 9a)
December 22, 2007 5:01 PM Post #4319712
| Quoting:Here is a photo, at some distance, of a Great Blue Heron and a Tri-colored Heron
That Tricolored Heron had better be careful!! Could easily fit inside the Great Blue!
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judycooksey
Pocahontas, TN (Zone 7b)
 December 25, 2007 3:17 PM Post #4326008
| I had to post this link with a great picture of a Sandhill crane and TN event information. I never realized their size, up to 7 feet tall.
"A sandhill crane stands at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge near Chattanooga,TN which has attracted 20,000 of the tall birds this season. "
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2007122...
Judy |
Resin
Northumberland
United Kingdom (Zone 9a)
December 25, 2007 6:11 PM Post #4326309
| Quoting:I never realized their size, up to 7 feet tall
They don't. That's just journalists getting it wrong and exaggerating badly ;-)
Checked up, they stand about a metre tall (just over 3 feet).
Resin
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judycooksey
Pocahontas, TN (Zone 7b)
December 25, 2007 7:48 PM Post #4326438
| Resin,
Did you read that article? Unless my fever is higher than I think, it stated 7 ft. I thought this is not a bird I want to see up close ... I'm a chicken when it comes to birds and for some reason they like me. BUT if they had been 7 ft I would have like to have see them from a distance.
Judy
This message was edited Dec 25, 2007 1:49 PM |
judycooksey
Pocahontas, TN (Zone 7b)
December 25, 2007 7:58 PM Post #4326458
| I bet this is where the 7 ft got picked up ...
"Size varies among the different races of Sandhill Cranes. A male of the race G. c. canadensis, or the Lesser Sandhill Crane averages 3.34 kg (7.4 lbs), 98 cm (39 in) in length and has a wingspan of 1.6 m (5.3 ft). A male of the race G. c. tabida or the Greater Sandhill Crane averages 5 kg (11 lbs), 119 cm (47 in) in length and has a wingspan of 2.12 m (7 ft). Both sexes look alike."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandhill_crane
If you go to the link they have a photo of one in flight. I can't imagine a 7 ft wing span and only weighing 11 lbs. Still don't want to get close, but would love to see 20,000 in one area. lol lol
Judy
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