American Bittern Bird – Long-legged Waders – 4/21/17

The American Bittern was photographed on Pennsylvania Ave. between Oakwood and Ryan Roads in Oakcreek, Wisconsin.

Select this link to see an album of photos of the American Bittern, next select slideshow

The American Bittern is a stocky brown heron with a black stripe on the neck, a head usually pointed up, and green legs. It has a range of Canada to the Gulf States, and winters in Panama. It has a habitat of marshes, reedy lakes or water, and seldom sits in trees. Its head is usually pointed upward with the black neck streak seen. It has a diet of mostly fish and other aquatic life. They move slowly through marsh grass, and are difficult to see with so little movement.

 

 

Least Bittern Bird – Long Legged Waders – 4/26/2013

The Least Bittern was photographed at the Cameron Prairie Wildlife Refuge in Bell City, Louisiana.

Select this link to see an album of photos of the Least Bittern, next select slideshow

The Least Bittern is a small thin bright buff brown Heron with a dark brown top and yellow legs. It has a range from southeastern Canada and eastern half of United States to northeastern Argentina. Its diet is mostly fish and insects. They move slowly through dense marsh grass, and are not easy to flush or to be seen. It climbs about in cattails, reeds, and other aquatic plants, clinging to the stems with its long toes.

Select this link to see Cameron Prairie National Refuge photos

 

 

Little Blue Heron – Long Legged Waders – 8/2/2016

The adult Little Blue Heron was photographed at Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana.

The immature Little Blue Heron was also photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Little Blue Heron

The adult Little Blue Heron is a slender, medium sized Heron of bluish color with possibly brownish neck, dull olive green legs, and a thick tapered pale bluish bill with a black tip. The immature Little Blue Heron is all white with olive green legs, and a pale blue bill with a black tip. It has a range of the eastern United States to Peru and Argentina. It has a habitat of marshes, swamps, rice fields, ponds, and shores. Its diet is mainly small fish and crustaceans. It is slow and methodical in foraging in shallow water, on shore, or grassy fields.

Select this link to see where the Little Blue Heron photos were taken

 

 

White Faced Ibis Bird – Long Legged Waders – 5/5/2016

The White-Faced Ibis was photographed at the Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the White Faced Ibis

The White-Faced Ibis is a long legged deep purplish color with a long decurved bill, and a white border at the base of the bill. It has a range of the western United States to Argentina. It has a habitat of marshes, irrigated land, and swamps. It has a diet of small crustaceans, small fish, earthworms, and insects.

 

Cattle Egret Bird – Long Legged Waders – 4/26/2013

The Cattle Egret was photographed at the Rockefeller State Wildlife and Game Reserve in Louisiana

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Cattle Egret

The Cattle Egret is a white stocky egret with a yellow beak and yellow, dark, or coral pink legs. It is expanding in the United States since invading the south United States in 1952. Its habitat is farms, marshes, highway edges in Florida, and it associates with cattle. It is often seen feeding with cattle as they flush out insects. The diet is mostly insects and usually forages in flocks in dry fields.

 

Scarlet Ibis Bird – Long legged waders – 5/27/2011

The Scarlet Ibis is accidental to the Gulf States and has a range in north South America

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Scarlet Ibis

The Scarlet Ibis is bright scarlet all over with black wing tips and a decurved bill. It has a range of north South America and is accidental in the Gulf States. It has a habitat in salt, brackish, and fresh marshes, rice fields, and mangroves. Their food is small crustaceans, small fish, and insects.

 

Yellow Crowned Night Heron Bird – Long Legged Waders – 4/26/2013

This Yellow-Crowned Night Heron was photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Bell City, Louisiana.

This Yellow-Crowned Night Heron was photographed in San Antonio, Texas on the River walk.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

The Yellow-Crowned Heron is a gray heron with a black head with a white cheek patch and crown. It has speckled wings and back, long yellow legs, and a stout bill. It has a range of the east and gulf coast and southern United States. It has a habitat of cypress swamps, mangroves, bayous, marshes, and stream. It feeds on crustaceans, mainly crabs and crayfish. It is a more solitary and secretive bird.

 

Least Bittern Heron Bird – Long legged Waders – 4/26/2013

The smallest Heron, the Least Bittern, was photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Bell City, Louisiana

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Least Bittern Heron

Select this link to see Cameron Prairie National Refuge photos

The Least Bittern is a small thin bright buff brown Heron with a dark brown top and yellow legs. It has a range from southeastern Canada and eastern half of United States to northeastern Argentina. Its diet is mostly fish and insects. They move slowly through dense marsh grass, and are not easy to flush or to be seen. It climbs about in cattails, reeds, and other aquatic plants, clinging to the stems with its long toes.

 

Snowy Egret Bird – Long Legged Waders – 9/10/2012

This Snowy Egret was photographed at Venetian Isles sub-division in New Orleans, Louisiana

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Snowy Egret

The Snowy Egret is a rather small white Egret with a slender black bill, black legs, and yellow feet. A yellow local spot is before the eye, except it is red when it is breeding. . Young birds may show yellowish or greenish on much of the rear side of the legs. It ranges on the coasts of the United States, and the southwestern states, large rivers or lakes. Its habitat is marshes, swamps, ponds, and shore with salt or fresh water. The diet includes fish, crabs, crayfish, frogs, snakes, insects, snails worms, lizards, and rodents. When feeding it often rushes about, shuffling its feet to stir up food.

 

Great Blue Heron Nest at Greenfield Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This was the first day of sighting the Great Blue heron nest as the male landed above the nest and the female was sitting on the eggs.

On 4-3-2012 I got a sightings report that there was a Great Blue Heron Nest in Greenfield Park in West Allis, Wisconsin. The next day I went there to see if I could find the nest, and after asking several persons it was found in a tree on an island in the park pond. Since then I have followed and photographed the progress of the nesting period. You can see the photograph history by selecting the link below. I will add photos as the nesting process continues.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Great Blue Heron Nest

Select this link to see panorama photos of the Greenfield Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin