Subject: Unintentional Birding Surprise
Date: Jan 29 12:16:02 2003
From: kjandrich at netscape.net - kjandrich at netscape.net



Hi Tweeters,

This morning I caught the bus late to work and parking was at a premium at St Thomas Episcopal, near Medina park, so I had to park a ways up. When I got out of the car near the pond by the road (NE 12th) I noticed a small flock of widgeon over at the park including an Eurasian Widgeon. Since I had just missed a bus and had some time to kill, I walked over to enjoy them and also saw a female Hooded Merganser actively foraging. Then I noticed an unusual bird hop onto to grass beside the pond. It was mostly gray with long orange legs and had a meal size (for it) fish in it's bill. I tryed to approach carefully but it flew up into a willow tree and consumed the fish. The other field marks I could see without binoculars was a dark "cap" on the head and a whitish bib under the bill and upper throat. I am pretty sure it was a Green Heron but not positive on the ID. The bill seemed too short and slender for one. Lacking a field guide or binoculars that is my best guess. It sure seemed agile in the willow tree.

Anyone else have any other ideas as to what it could be? Thanks.

Kathy

Kathy Andrich
Roosting in Renton
kjandrich at netscape.net

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