At Scioto Audubon MP in Columbus (above Greenlawn Ave)
About 5:00 pm - before & after
Along the peninsula, about 1/3 to 1/2 way up, there was a white heron or
egret hunched down along the shore. The legs were in the water, so I
could not see this critical part. The bird seemed somewhat bedraggled.
Its feathers were hanging down like streamers being blown by the breeze.
It did not wade during the nearly hour I was in the area, so I could not
see its legs or posture.

The body was entirely white. I could see no hint of color. The beak was
2-tone--orangish below and darker above. It was darkish from the bill to
the eyes. Without something to compare it to, it seemed to be somewhat
smaller than a Great Blue. It seemed to have a slight crest on the back
of its head, but that might have just been the breeze kicking up a few
feathers.

I am familiar enough with Great Egrets to know it was not one of these,
mainly because it's bill was not distinctly yellow. It was too small
anyway.

Looking through Sibley's Guide these seem like possibilities to consider:

Little Egret - The picture and size fit, Sibley also describes "stringy
breast plumes" (!), but is there any real possibility??

Snowy Egret - This was my first thought, but it did not have the black
bill I am used to seeing (in New England). However, the non-breeding
adult could fit. But the "yellow lores" were not obvious. The lores
seemed darker, but perhaps I wasn't close enough.

Little blue Heron- juvenile - The bill color and lores are not right.
I've seen enough these in Florida so be rather familiar with them.

Cattle Egret - juvenile  - although the color pattern fits, this bird
seemed too large. But mainly the CAEG's bill is somewhat stubby. (Again I
have seen many of these in Florida.)

----

I am confident it was not a Cattle Egret, or Great Egret. I feel rather
sure it was not a Little Blue. If the Little cannot be considered, that
leaves the Snowy. I have seen these frequently in New England, but never
saw anything with the plumes like this bird had. They were as long as the
body. At first, I thought that this was just a piece of trash with some
streamers waving in the wind, but then it stuck up its head and I had
good looks at its head and bill. After a little searching on the
internet, I see that the Snowy can display some rather long plumage. But
what was on this bird was way long. I am wondering now, if it became
loaded with some paper streamers from the trash in the flooding. The
river is very, very high and trash abounds. It it  got tangled up in
this, that might be the reason it was so sedentary (and might keep it
there for a while).


Richard Cressman
Columbus OH
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