Reddish Egret (white morph)

Description:

A medium to large heron of shallow salt water, the Reddish Egret comes in a dark and a white form. Dark phase all dark gray with a reddish neck. It is a very active forager, often seen running, jumping, and spinning in its pursuit of fish. This was our first encounter on the beach and it flew in beside another Reddish Egret. (see pic 4)It was chased away, composed itself and went further down the beach to fish.

Habitat:

We parked at the end of Rettilon Road (108) on the beach and began hiking along the beach toward Houston Audubon Society, Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary. It is a unique area combining salt marsh, mud flats and beach, each habitat quite different from the other.

Notes:

Approximately 140,000 shorebirds, representing 37 species use Bolivar Flats for both feeding and roosting. The area also serves as a year- round roost for gulls and terns; a feeding area for herons and egrets, a wintering site for the American White Pelican, and a wintering site for several species of waterfowl. The federally endangered species brown pelican and peregrine falcon are other important species using the flats for roosting and feeding. The adjacent salt marsh hosts clapper rails, seaside sparrow, and sharp-tailed sparrow. Black Skimmers and Least terns attempt to nest on the flats every year, but usually are not successful because of vehicular traffic. The huge bird population is largely supported by Bolivar Flats' rich, benthic infauna. Polychaet worms are the most abundant benthic animals. Shorebird use is highest in the winter and in early spring. Dunlin, Western Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitcher, and American Avocet are the most abundant winter shorebirds. Willets and Wilson's Plovers nest at the site. Willets, Black-bellied Plovers, and Sanderlings occur all year. The area is also one of the most important wintering sites for the threatened Piping Plover.