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Subject:

Help Identify a Wader

From:

Paul Mackey

Reply-To:

Paul Mackey

Date:

Thu, 8 Jun 2006 21:01:51 -0400

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