Rare...

William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation.

​Proverbs 20:15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, perched on wooden duck breeding box over blue water pond in Monroe, GA USA. A small, dark heron arrayed in moody blues and purples, the Little Blue Heron is a common but inconspicuous resident of marshes and estuaries in the Southeast. They stalk shallow waters for small fish and amphibians, adopting a quiet, methodical approach that can make these gorgeous herons surprisingly easy to overlook at first glance. Little Blue Herons build stick nests in trees alongside other colonial waterbirds.

Friday, 9:42 AM - What is “rare”? An online dictionary says that something rare is “not found in large numbers and consequently of interest or value.”

It was a thing of excitement for me (in a bird nerd sort of way) to enter into the “rare bird” realm today! As soon as I saw the purplish-blue, small sized heron standing on top of one of the duck boxes over the retention pond behind the animal shelter, I knew I had never seen a Little Blue Heron here before.

But does that make it “rare”?

While paddling the Okefenokee the last two summers, I saw dozens and dozens of Little Blue Herons; up in the trees, walking on the lily pads, standing next to gators; even the white juveniles were in abundance. Certainly not rare in the Okefenokee! And there was no shortage of Little Blues on Hilton Head Island and other coastal areas as well.

But apparently here in Walton County, spotting a Little Blue Heron is a rare thing! I had to check the “rare” box on the ebird app and provide supporting text and photo documentation. Even after submitting all that, it was still several weeks before a local reviewer could confirm my sighting.
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Twenty-five years ago when all I cared about was snakes, I could never figure out those weird birder people. But now, I’m fully addicted just like them! You know you’re hooked when you want to tell all your friends about the “rare” Little Blue Heron you spotted that day… and they in turn look at you with that same blank stare I gave the birders in my twenties!

Walton County, Georgia, USA
Forecast: Sunny, high near 69°. Clear tonight, low 45°
Sunrise 6:56 AM, Sunset 8:08 PM
Day length: 13 hours, 12 minutes
Moon: 24% waxing crescent

Little Blue Heron in flight

Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, perched on wooden duck breeding box over blue water pond in Monroe, GA USA.

Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, fishing on shore over blue water pond in Monroe, GA USA. A small, dark heron arrayed in moody blues and purples, the Little Blue Heron is a common but inconspicuous resident of marshes and estuaries in the Southeast. They stalk shallow waters for small fish and amphibians, adopting a quiet, methodical approach that can make these gorgeous herons surprisingly easy to overlook at first glance. Little Blue Herons build stick nests in trees alongside other colonial waterbirds.

A Great Blue Heron shot the same afternoon. Clearly a much larger heron with different coloration.