Rare Bird Report 14-B-09

Account of Green Heron‏

From:

Cheryl Huizinga (bchuizinga@cableone.net)

Sent:

Fri 2/06/09 6:40 AM

To:

Fred Hill (facjhill@msn.com)

AN ACCOUNT OF A SIGHTING OF A GREEN HERON – 12/20/08

 

This is an account of a sighting of a Green Heron on 12/20/08 during the annual Nampa Christmas Bird Count at Marsing Ponds, Owyhee County, Idaho.

 

Several birders in the group who saw the Green Heron that day had past experience with the bird, seeing it places where it is normally seen.

 The group of birders was:

Rod Drewien – Dr. of Biology and very familiar with the Green Heron from his studies of swans, geese and waterfowl with Fish and Game in Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico

Letty Percifield – saw the bird many times in this location from when it was first seen in October ’08 and is familiar with species from her birding travels in Costa Rica

Cheryl Huizinga – saw the bird several times in this location from when it was first seen in October ’08 and is familiar with species from her birding travels in Arizona

Rusty Taylor – long time coordinator of the Nampa CBC

Van Lybyer – experienced birder

Theresa Araquistain – novice birder and was first sighting of species for her.

 

The Green Heron was first seen on October 10, 2008 by experienced birder Dave Lawrence.  It was seen numerous times after that by many birders from across the state who either wanted to see the bird for the first time, add it to their Life List of Birds, or add it to their Idaho Birds List. It hadn’t been seen during the month of December and most thought that it had left the area. 

 

The above group of CBC birders were checking out the Marsing Ponds area for birds by foot, when a small heron-like bird flew out of a low wooded area on the west side of the North pond.  It was immediately identified as a Green Heron by size, shape, and color.  After it flew out it came down into another area of thick woods and was seen again.  It flew across the Hwy. 55 Bridge and down into the South pond into another wooded area on the west side.  It was spotted again and watched for quite awhile in this spot.  Everyone in the CBC group got great looks at this bird and all were satisfied and pleased that each could tell it was a Green Heron.  Subsequent birders came that day and many days after to see this bird.  Many reported seeing it again.

 

Marsing Ponds are in Owyhee County, Idaho, along the Snake River.  The Hwy 55 Bridge that crosses over the Snake River into the little town of Marsing divides the ponds. There is a community park there called Island Park which is very popular for fishing and other family activities.  There is also a boat launch on the North side.

 

Submitted by Cheryl Huizinga, Nampa CBC Participant    


Photo taken by Denise Hughes on 10 October 2008.