I arrived at Grange Insurance Audubon Center at about 7:40 pm.  Checked the
area from the River Observation Deck.  There was one Great Egret down river
that soon disappeared south.  I walked south stopping to peer through
openings in the trees.  Not far above the dam I took a short path to the
edge of the water.  This is very close to the south end of the peninsula.
There were two Great Egrets across from me and near the south end of the
peninsula.  As I scanned the area, another Great Egret and a much smaller
white egret flew up river at about 8:00 pm.  I could see the short stubby
black bill and dark blackish legs of this young Cattle Egret.  The upper
and lower mandibles of the bill are curved giving the bill a blunt
appearance relative to the more spear or dagger shaped bills of Great and
Snowy Egrets and Little Blue Heron.

Sibley's first edition shows juvenile Cattle Egret with the black stubby
bill and black legs.  National Geographic Field Guide, 6th Edition
indicates the black bill of juvenile starts turning yellow later in the
first summer.  So does the Sibley Guide.

On Monday of this week, I visited Twin Lakes and met the finder and
photographer of this bird.  He showed me his photos and I was at first
doubtful until I looked closely at the bill and then later checked field
guides.

Cool bird.  Probably a first juvenile + Cattle Egret for me.

Jay G Lehman, Cincinnati, OH
Sent from Droid Razr

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