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Subject:

Snowy Egrets, American Bittern at Hughes Hollow, July 23

From:

Michael Bowen

Reply-To:

Michael Bowen

Date:

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:56:12 -0400

Early this morning, July 23, I went to Hughes Hollow - McKee Beshers 
WMA in Montgomery County to see if I could find a Snowy Egret, 
reported yesterday -- and earlier this year, too,

Thanks to Paul Woodward, who was there when I arrived at around 9 
a.m., we found not only one but three Snowy Egrets, all in juvenile 
plumage -- dirty green/yellow legs and bicolored bills.  We could not 
see the yellow/green lores very well when looking into the sun.  All 
three birds were perched with Great Egrets on a tree on a small 
island within the larger impoundment. (They were still there when I 
stopped by again at noon -- you could see their smaller size even 
with the naked eye.)

Even better -- since I have never seen one in July in Montgomery -- 
we had a ten-second view of an adult American Bittern flying from one 
part of the large impoundment to another.  Dark flight feathers and 
direct, slow-flapping style seen well.  Was this a local breeder?  I 
hope so, but I don't know if it really was. Does anyone?

Mike Bowen
Montgomery Bird Club, MOS
Bethesda, MD

D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD  20817
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail:  dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom

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