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 YELLOW-CROWNED HERON & the more common GREEN HERON
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The Yellow-Crowned Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)

This Yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea)  was photographed on Mead's Bay in June 2005. The bird was also seen in East End Pond on two different ocassions. It is distinguished by its black face with white stripe,  red eyes, blue grey neck and body , very pale yellowish forehead and buffy white crown.  The larger great blue heron was also seen in Grey Pond but not photographed. 

The Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

 

This mature Green Heron was photographed at Mead's Bay Pond.  It is distinguished by its Chestnut neck, the white stripe down the center of it's neck and it's white  chin.

This bird is often seen alone and with it's neck tucked back and body in an alert stance. I saw it most often at the edge of ponds and could get relatively close only if I moved slowly and

 

 


other louder alert birds such as the black-necked stilts were not present

 

 

                                                                                     
The  photograph on the right shows a very similar bird with a slightly different pattern. It is most probably a Juvenile Green Heron but as an amateur bird watcher I cannot conclusively exclude the identity as an American Bittern.