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Thursday, December 03, 2015

Great White Heron in NH, What??


Great White Heron


Recently there's been a Great White Heron in Litchfield, NH, which is way out of range for this bird usually found in south Florida (my photo is from Sanibel Island, FL).  It rarely has been seen outside this range. MA has two accepted records of this form, one record is from RI and there is a Wells, ME report in June 2013. It also has shown up as far north as Nova Scotia. Not a separate species, it is considered a white subspecies of the Great Blue Heron. It has a massive bill which is yellowish with a dark culmen, dull yellow or horn colored legs and feet and bluish facial skin. 


Great Egret

Do not confuse it with a Great Egret which is smaller, has black legs, yellow bill and yellow facial skin and is much more common in much of the country. Keep on the lookout who knows where a Great White Heron may turn up.

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