Winter Wear
On yet another bright sunny day (prior to the arctic blast expected for Monday) We found a Little Blue Heron playing around in the marsh pond.
The little blues start out life as all white juveniles, then progress to a patchwork of blue and white (“tweeners”) before becoming deep blue colored adults with a maroon neck.
This individual however, was a bit different. He was a sort of pale grey with only a slight blush of red on his neck. I was thinking that this little blue was past his tweener phase and might be exhibiting some winter plumage on his way to full adulthood.
I expect to see him and all his friends all fully decked out and colorful this Spring!
Phil Lanoue Photography 
Very informative and beautifully done!
Thanks a bunch Vicky, glad you liked the LBH!
Such great pictures to start my day, Phil, thank you! I didn’t realise you got arctic blasts – I had always thought of your part of the world as always much warmer than us! Hunker down!
We usually are a bit warmer, in fact we’ve yet to have a proper frost. But it’s supposed to get quite cold Monday and Tuesday. We think the last remaining spoonbills headed south earlier this week, probably a good choice for them considering.
At least we currently have no concerns of a hurricane blowing away the house. That was rough for us last year.
Cold I can take. Of course our ridiculous southern heating system isn’t designed for abnormal cold so we just wait for it to pass.
Thanks for checking in Maggie!
These are gorgeous of the Little Blue Heron. I can remember my first real confusion with birds early on was telling the difference between and adult Little Blue and Reddish Egret. The shapes are so alike. But the Reddish Egrets are shaggier in the maroon neck area and the bluish bill vs the pinkish of the Reddish Egret. Very similar those two.
Great action shots of this gorgeous little guy.