Here is a summary of nearly two hundred photographs?of the Great Egret at
Nisqually submitted to me after?I made an appeal on Tweeters last month, noting
something strange about our egret (namely yellow legs).? The bird was first
reported on Sept. 26, 2010?by Dennis Ellison, whose photographs caught refuge
biologist?Marian Bailey's interest because of the leg coloring.? To be sure that
this was not due simply to odd lighting or unusual photo quality I made my
appeal.? Many photographers with superb equipment took hundreds of photos,?John
Riegsecker, Tony Varela, Brian Hatch, Heather Rockely, John and Louise Whitehead
and others.? The bird clearly had yellow tibia as well as yellow tarsus down to
at least two inches below the ankle (in other words yellow legs).
?
While lighting and quality of the photographs can account for some of the
questions of leg coloring the evidence?is convincing that the yellow legged bird
was at Nisqually from at least September 26 until Nov. 20, the last varifiable
photo date.? Some of the earlier photos?revealed quite bright?legs.? The bird
was caught in various kinds of poses, in some cases stretching its legs as if to
taunt us for having failed to notice how different it was.??American Great
Egrets don't have yellow legs, but subspecies of Eurasian Great Egrets do.
?
All the photos of the Great Egret after Dec. 1 reveal black legs. The question
we are left with is, did we have two different birds, or did our bird transition
from leg coloring of post-breeding characteristics to non-breeding
coloration???The literature on Eurasian subspecies as well as many photos?of
such birds?that I examined on line?speek about this variable?leg coloration from
breeding to nonbreeding. This is not characteristic of the American subspecies.?
The bill coloration of the earlier photos also reveal an?orange tinge with a
black tip? coloration of the bill on later photos seems to be more yellow with
less or no black tipped coloration.
?
Thanks for all the contributions.? The Great Egret is still at Nisqually and it
looks like every other American Great Egret.? It is the?first one?reported to
have overwintered at the refuge.? Pehaps that's because of the change of habitat
with the dikes removed or perhaps it's because this bird came from the north
rather than from the south.? We may find the answer to that question in the
Spring, if the bird stays around.? We will all be looking for yellow legs to
return.?
?
David Richardson?