As Jim said, we were able to see the bird well and to confirm that it's an
immature Little Blue Heron (though see note below on the color of the
lores).  The bird flew in, apparently from the northeast part of the lake,
to the beach area at Turtle Lake County Park around 11:15, and was still
there when I left at noon.  It spent most of its time roosting on nearby
docks and boats.  According to a local resident, it may have been around for
much of the summer.

Notable features: white overall, dusky tips to the outer primaries,
yellow-green legs, and a stout, bicolored bill.  Note that it appears to
have yellowish lores, which are more typical of Snowy Egret.  If you see
this bird, please take notes and/or photos, so that the possibility of a
hybrid x Snowy Egret can be evaluated.  A few grainy photos are up on the
recently seen section of the MOU website.

Other birds at the lake included a few shorebirds on the grassy island,
including several Baird's Sandpipers, and a few Caspian Terns.  There was
also at least one Great Egret around.

Good birding,

Matt Dufort
Minneapolis


On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 2:40 PM, james otto <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> The interesting wading bird in Ramsey County at Turtle Lake, found by Erik
> Collins, turns out to be a juvenile Little Blue Heron. Observed today at
> 11;15 am by the following birders Bill Litkey, Linda Sparling, Conny
> Brunell, Mark Junghans,  Matt Dufort and myself. Observed from Turtle Lake
> State Park off of County road 49.
>
>                     James Otto
>
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