Jerry wrote:

Subject: Great Blue Heron - Date: Fri Sep 16 2016 20:04 pm



I saw this Great Blue Heron on Lake Washington.
https://500px.com/photo/173002653/a-heron-on-the-wing-by-jerry-cahill?ctx_page=1from=user&user_id965034



I have a question, he has a red marking on his wing. I also have a picture

of one down at Nisqually who also has a red marking. Is this tagging or could it be natural?



Hi Jerry ? the reddish coloration on the heron?s wings is natural, and shows well on your great shot of the bird.



Heron Conservation (http://www.heronconservation.org) has a good description of the bird:
For the adult: ?At rest, a patch at the apparent ?shoulder?(the epaulette) is black with chestnut toward the back. The undersides are light grey with black stripes. Thigh feathers are a distinctive chestnut. In flight, it has two-tone upper wings, darker behind, lighter in front, with patches of pale chestnut feathers at the bend in the wing (as field characters these are often called ?headlights?).?



For the juvenile: ?The back of the neck and back are grey overall with a brown tinge due to the upper wing feathers are tipped in chestnut.?



Hope this helps,

Jon. Anderson

Olympia