Herons and egrets live in Lynchburg area

Most people do not consider herons and egrets when they think about birds that they might find in the Lynchburg area. Of course, this group is more likely to be found near the coast, but we do have many sightings here in Central Virginia. In fact, we have records for seven species of herons or egrets and both night-herons.

All of these birds make their living fishing and they are superbly adapted for this task. The neck is long and can be folded back on itself when the bird is in flight or stalking its prey. The legs are long for wading in deep water, and these birds are strong fliers that can move from one body of water to another in search of fish.

Over the past week I have had two reports of great egrets, the migratory species most likely to be found in our area at this season. Over the years, the majority of sightings of this bird take place between the second week of July and the third week of September. We can expect sporadic sightings of great egrets for about the next six weeks. Look for a solid white bird, about three feet tall with a yellow bill and black legs.

The heron most likely to be found near Lynchburg is the great blue heron, which is a year-round resident. It is the largest representative, standing about four feet tall with a wingspan of six feet. The color in most illustrations shows a pale blue body with a black crown and white face, but in poor light the bird appears to be simply a dull gray.

A few unlucky people have had these birds visiting their water gardens and feasting on the resident goldfish. One caller had a very small pool, about 10 feet long, and was thrilled when she first noticed the stately heron posed in the center. She wasn’t very happy when she realized that it had come over for dinner.

Great blue herons usually nest in colonies and in recent years have increased their breeding range throughout Virginia. We had our first confirmed breeding record in Amherst County in 2000, and now have found rookeries in all surrounding localities.

The smallest representative, the green heron, also breeds here in our area. Only 18 inches tall, this species specializes in hunting along the edge of the water. In addition to fish, they frequently feed on frogs and other amphibians. This bird relies on stealth to catch its prey and will often "freeze" in place for a long time as it waits for something edible to swim into reach. The brown-striped young are frequently misidentified as bitterns.

The other herons occasionally observed near Lynchburg include snowy egrets, cattle egrets and little blue herons. All of these species are considered rare in our area, and should be reported.

News and notes

Fred Livingstone, of Forest, spotted a scarlet tanager near his home earlier this month. Although this is a common summer resident, they are not often observed simply because they do not come to feeders and usually remain high in the treetops. Its intensely red plumage, even brighter than a cardinal, contrasting with jet-black wings, makes it one of our most beautiful birds.