Tag Archives: great blue heron white morph

Birds at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park

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It’s not often you can get this up close with an eagle. This one was missing part of his wing and was spending his time at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park. I caught him taking a bath.

Pelicans were hanging out in their big open space. Some were starting to nest.

Other birds were just hanging out and preening when I was there in mid-November.

I caught these two wild night herons fighting over nesting space over the roof of an exhibit.

You can also get close to the spoonbills. And since the flamingos were right behind you, you wouldn’t have to look at them and think they were flamingos.

A rare bird – white morph great blue heron

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Right away I heard a honking noise and saw this bird flying away from the pelicans. It seemed the pelicans were trying to get his fish. I realized I had found the rare white morph great blue heron that Jim had found a couple of days earlier. That honking noise was unmistakably a great blue heron sound.

He flew over to one of the boat ramps and tried to eat his fish in peace.

Before swallowing, he flew back into the water right in front of me. He seemed to be saying “Here it is, get a good shot lady.”

He finally swallowed and stood around for a while.

A few minutes later he flew up to the railing and posed. White morphs are pretty rare. They have mostly been sighted in south Florida near the Everglades. This is the first I’ve heard of one being in this area. Ron at Pinellasbirds.com had confirmed it as a great blue heron. Right before I left several other photographers had stopped by to see it.

For reference, above is a great egret. He has a bright orange beak and is much smaller. He was watching the great blue eat the fish.

A normal great blue heron (even though they look grey to me).

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