Boy, did I get confused today!

[wfooshee]

Went back to my local state park yesterday and today, and today saw a behavior I'd not seen before, probably because I've never been out here at this time of year before. Since I got the "big" lens (70-300 VR, big to me, anyway, and biggest I've ever had) I've gotten really interested in following the birds. I'm most definitely a rookie, having just started this spring as the egrets and herons roosted on the island in the lake at the park.

Anyway, little blue herons were being harrassed and actually attacked by white birds I first thought to be snowy egrets. They were too small to be great egrets, but I was bothered by their coloration. More on that later, here's some pics.





Flying away...


And coming back in...




And the chaser:


Another fight:




Oughta be OK way up here, right?


Nope! Here he comes!!!!


Aw, hell. C'mon, give a guy a break!!!!


All right, already! Going!


And giving chase again.


Now, my confusion came from the fact that these white birds seemed about the right size for snowy egrets, and too small for great egrets, but they had light-colored legs, where snowies have black legs, and the beak was wrong, too. Again, snowies have black beaks.

About that time, a couple of egrets flew by for close-ups. I swear they actually came by at this part of my day, and I thank them for that!

Great Egret. Note yellow beak, black legs.


Snowy Egret. Note black beak, black legs, yellow feet.


And my "mystery" white bird, perched. Got home and did some reading, found out what most of you have already figured out, these are juvi little blue herons.

Kids today!



Some more chase scenes:










Best shot I got of the juvi heron: Note the beak and eye are same as the adult little blue, and the outer wingtip feathers have a black edge.

[MotorToad]

Egrets. I've had a few.
Then again, too few to mention.