A Juvenile Snowy Egret in Oceanside

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Sunday, November 6, 2022,

This is a juvenile Snowy Egret that I manged to get photos of as it was plying, or learning its, trade at the Marine Nature Study Area in Oceanside. Actually, it was probably a bit of both. If you’re new here, click on the pics to see the full versions.

One of the ways I can identify this beautiful Snowy Egret as a juvenile is by its legs. Adult Snowy’s have all black legs and bright yellow feet. The juveniles have yellowish-green legs. My own tongue-in-cheek theory is that the yellow in their legs drains down into the feet as the birds age. Yeah, I know t’s wrong, but it is fun to think of it that way.  🙂  JK

Eastern Water Ostrich

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Saturday, October 29, 2022,

Hello folks. I have a real treat for you today. This is a pair of pics of the rarely seen, and much less photographed, Eastern Water Ostrich. Or maybe, it’s just a Greater Yellowlegs probing for fish. While I can sometimes manage to get a bird in focus, I’m not very good at making proper identifications. Plus, I’m a bit of a wiseguy.   🙂

JK

A Merlin in Oceanside

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Tuesday, October 25, 2022,

This is a Merlin I chanced to see at the Marine Nature Study Area in Oceanside. It’s not one of my better photos, but I don’t run into all that many Merlins, outside of my work at Sweetbriar Nature Center. At Sweetbriar, I get to see some of them up close, but seeing a bird in captivity is not the same as seeing the same bird out in the wild.All animals are much more magnificent in the wild. JK.