I believe this is the juvenile form of the LBH I posted a shot of yesterday.( Edited to add, after some helpful info from another 365er, it looks like this is more likely to be a Snowy Egret...still on the hunt for a juvenile LBH...maybe next year)
As I understand, they start out all white like this and only assume the blue and maroon colouring when they mature. If someone out there, with more bird knowledge than I, can confirm or refute this identification I'd appreciate it.
Wonderful composition and beautiful bird, Joanne. I am not sure this is a juvenile Little Blue Heron, I tend to think it is more likely a Snowy Egret. They are similar, but there are more things pointing towards the Snowy. Have a look on the link below, it's quite a way down the page but there is an interesting comparison of the two birds.
@markp Thanks for that link. After looking at the info there I have to agree with you. The colouring of the legs, bill and around the eyes does look more like their description of a snowy egret. Seeing it in the same tree as the LBH was in might have added to my jumping to the conclusion it was a young one of those. It's why I hate labeling my photos, in case I get it wrong and then mislead someone else.
@gardencat They are very similar, and I think its quite easy to mistake one for the other unless you are very familiar with both birds. We have birds over here which are very alike and can be really hard to tell apart, unless you get a very close look in good light at which ever bit is different, or it makes it call so you can split them. I think if I had seen an adult LBH in that tree, I could quite easily just have assumed that the white one was a young one.
As well as the legs, bill and eyes of your bird, I used an iPad to enlarge your image ( much better than on iMac), and on that you can see just a trace of breast plumes, and there is no patch of black on the wing tips.
All in all, its a very good photo, and I enjoyed the challenge of trying to ID it. Hope it helps you in the future with your other bird shots.
Wonderful! I love the simplicity of the composition that you used in this photo -- The form is beautiful! Fav!
Just chiming in with my 2-cents because I love discussing birds :) -- I'm not an expert, but this does have all the field marks for a Snowy Egret: yellow lores, black bill, black legs, and yellow feet. An immature LBH would have lighter dull yellow-green legs -- so you will know to look for those next time.
I enjoyed reading all the comments and have learned a lot from this -- Thanks for posting this beautiful photo and letting us discuss it!
October 15th, 2015
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http://www.digital-images.net/Gallery/Wildlife/Studies/EgretHeron/egretheron.html
As well as the legs, bill and eyes of your bird, I used an iPad to enlarge your image ( much better than on iMac), and on that you can see just a trace of breast plumes, and there is no patch of black on the wing tips.
All in all, its a very good photo, and I enjoyed the challenge of trying to ID it. Hope it helps you in the future with your other bird shots.
Just chiming in with my 2-cents because I love discussing birds :) -- I'm not an expert, but this does have all the field marks for a Snowy Egret: yellow lores, black bill, black legs, and yellow feet. An immature LBH would have lighter dull yellow-green legs -- so you will know to look for those next time.
I enjoyed reading all the comments and have learned a lot from this -- Thanks for posting this beautiful photo and letting us discuss it!