Molting Little Blue Heron

While birding at the Scarborough Marsh last Saturday morning, my wife and I spotted what we thought was a Snowy Egret with a complexion problem.

Approximately the same size as the Snowy Egret, this bird has splotches of blue on an otherwise white-feathered body.

As luck would have it, the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center was having a bird walk at the time and the leader of the group identified it as a molting Little Blue Heron.

Thanks to the group leader Turk for clueing us in on this bird.

 

As seen in the picture on the right, both species look simular and basically their behaviour was the same.

These pictures were taken the same evening just after sunset. The pictures I took of the Little Blue Heron that morning were not very good as I was shooting into the sun.

I assumed the wrong bird this time, but in my defense, I have never seen a Little Blue Heron in molt. I would have never dreamed of this bird ever having white feathers!

It has been a busy week at my job, working 12-13 hour days, so I am a little behind on my Plum Island, Massachusetts trip post. I will get to that this weekend, but first, we must go birding!

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