On Jun 7 around 11:00 am, I went birding on Theodore Roosevelt Island, just
off of the George Washington Parkway. Under the Roosevelt bridge just at
the end/beginning of the boardwalk I saw a medium-size wader. My
observations were all made within 100 feet of the bird who was very
cooperative. My gut reaction was that it was a Reddish Egret but since it
would be a life bird I took my time looking at its markings. Because size
can be very deceptive, I usually do not rely on it too strongly but this
bird was too small and didn't have the right markings to be a Great Blue
Heron. Its back was gray with a brownish gray neck. It stood in water deep
enough I could not see the leg color. The bird's bill appeared dark on top,
lighter on the bottom and had a yellow tip. Its throat may have been
whitish. There was no breeding plume, and its head presented a sleek
appearance with a darkish cap.
The two closest birds I can find in any of my many field guides are a 2nd
year Tricolored Heron or a variation of a Reddish Egret. I don't know which
birds are likely to be on the Potomac, but the Breeding Atlas I have doesn't
show them there. Any help in identifying the wader is greatly appreciated.
Paul Mackey
Hagerstown, MD
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