Re: my photo submitted yesterday

I've received a few replies to my photo, all saying it
is a Green Heron. Could someone please point to me a
website or source showing that the Green Heron has a
light bill, as my photo shows? Maybe a juvenile? All
my field guides say a Green Heron has a dark bill.
This is the only other photo I have of it, which is
pretty blurry:
http://i16.tinypic.com/2nqxt3o.jpg Regardless of the
outcome of my sighting, this certainly is a fun
learning process, and, after all, isn't that what
birding is all about? :)

Why, oh why, can't field guides show all aspects of
the bird, not just a one-sided view, ha ha.

Thanks to Nancy for pointing out that my Glaucous Gull
is really a Glaucous-winged Gull, with worn feathers.
:) She said, and I hope she doesn't mind me quoting
her: "I found your picture to be very interesting as
it shows an unfinished molt of the primaries - the
outer 2 (at least) feathers are older and worn.
That's probably why they don't match the wing pattern
in the field guides. A Glaucous Gull would be more
expected in winter and would have very white wing tips
- not just worn ones." It's explanations such as this
that really help the learning process, rather than
quick two work replies stating what the reader
thinks/knows it to be. :)

Marian Murdoch
Belfair, WA
marianmurdoch at yahoo.com


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