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Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

Photo by HeatherMiller
Published on Project Noah
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30.3817, -86.5064

Field Notes

Description:

He's sitting on the Destin side of the East Pass just out of Destin Harbor, Florida. He's looking south west, towards the sloping shallows where unsuspecting fish might get trapped in the shallow waters by waves, tides, or rip currents, providing an easier-to-catch meal.

Plus, almost the entire Destin Deep-Sea Charter Boat (and private boat) Fleet seemed to be trolling for bait fish just after sunrise. When trolling for bait, there are lines with multiple hooks that snag the Speedo and other inch diameter by 6 inches or so fish swimming in the area. Some fish get snagged but escape and while recovering are an easy meal for the sea birds.

Notes:

Possibly a tricolored Heron? We were calling them Brown Herons because their backs were brown and their very long necks were brown and white mottled or striped. This bird was much skinnier than the one on the Western Point of the East Pass. But the picture was far away and the angle is different.

Thanks for the ID help.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (1)

From the size, definitely one more Great Blue Heron! It's the tallest shorebird in Florida, with only the Great Egret and Wood Stork rivaling it in height (both of those birds are almost completely white). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_blue_heron

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