Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

We asked our good friend Jenny if she wanted to go to McKee-Beshers this morning to look for birds among the sunflowers planted there. Because she had an appointment at 11:00 we decided to go relatively early, meeting at 7:30. At the sunflower field we heard and the briefly saw a yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) and then, from a fair distance, a common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas).

We then drove to the hunting dog training pond, where we saw more birds, including a great crested flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) and a few other birds. The highlight, I think, was seeing this green heron (Butorides virescens) fairly close to the path. On our way out it was down in a small clump of trees on the pond side of the trail. Then, as we were coming back it was on a branch over the creek on the other side of the trail. They are beautiful birds and somewhat secretive. The ‘green’ on this bird’s back is an iridescent color, and often looks dull bluish or simply dark.