Cattle egret observed feeding on grasshoppers on Bailey Island in Harpswell. (Photo by Jonathan Mays)
Fall is upon us and winter is certainly not far behind. [Snow was flying as early as Halloween at my house this year!] As the cold weather moves in, herons typically move out…of Maine, that is. I say typically because there are definitely stragglers here and there. But, what’s more interesting is that after herons breed they typically disperse in all directions before heading south for the winter. In the scientific literature, this is dubbed “nondirectional wandering.” This is why we can see such rarities as yellow-crowned night-herons and cattle egrets in the fall in various parts of the state. We don’t currently have either of these species nesting in the state – at least not that I am aware of. And they certainly are not known to breed north of Maine.
Danielle DAuria
maineheron.wordpress.com 