The Lincolnshire Bird Club

This morning i recieved a phone call from a someone who had seen a unusual heron and wanted me to check it,off a night shift dazed,offt i trot to find a a black heron in a deep ditch along the road side,(black bank road)near east butterwick,it has some grey markings ,particulalary on the wing,and throat,but most black,the case is still open,but my best hunch is Partially Melanistic Grey heron.
This bird was not as weary as a grey,more tame.
Roy harvey has some decent footage/shots thankfully.
More will be said no doubt.Note see:http://www.birdforum.net/archive/index.php/t-26152.html
In Richard Millingtons book"a twitchers diary there is an excellent drawing of one,just like the one today.a book ive had for years!.
Regards,see;below if link does not work,



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Monday 15th November 2004, 14:08 #1
Eagle
Registered User






Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Isleworth, Middlesex
Posts: 1,499 Black - Grey Heron??????

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Here's one for you very clever people!
Just looked at John Butlers website....Donana Bird Tours

Trip report 11/11/04 Northern Marshes

"Spotted a heron sized bird, completely black. The size, beak, shape, build, stance,and everything else pointed to a Grey Heron except the colour- black as a Black Stork.Any suggestions?"

So what do you think????????




Monday 15th November 2004, 14:12 #2
Bluetail
Senior Moment




Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Plymouth, Devon
Posts: 6,409 I've never seen one myself, but melanistic Grey Herons do happen. I think Richard Millington mentions one in his book A Twicher's Diary that was reported as a Black Heron and turned out to be precisely that - a black Grey Heron.
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Roger.

I have now posted images in the 'discussion birds' section of the album.
Apart from its colour it looks like a typical Grey Heron, but its behaviour is certainly atypical for that species.
As we all know, Grey Herons are usually on the wing as soon as they catch sight of humans on foot,
but this bird behaves more like a North American heron with its approachability. Despite this, one passing birder from a neighbouring county did manage to get it to take to the wing by trying to get 'silly close'. Fortunately, it landed again not too far away.
Paul French has scrutinised my pictures and wonders if the plumage colouration is pollution of some kind but it didn't appear to be 'oiled'. It is also not apparently ill as it was readily catching small fish.

Comments appreciated!
My thanks to Roger for alerting me to the presence of this bird.

Roy

Looks like it’s been down a chimney?

Andrew

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

the matted feathers, stained / oiled legs and bill all point to it having been covered in something like light oil or some other pollutant probably picked up in a ditch or pond maybe at night

This is possible and i did suggest it to Roy,who did not think so,it does seem strange however selective the oil has been on this bird,on only getting on to certain parts and not others,leaving the wings mainly alone,it does look a lot like mr millingtons bird from a few years back-it had greyish wings and the rest black!!,whatever its all been great fun!!!
Roger.

Hi all,
No im not convinced it has been oiled,i could not see any matting of feathers,and we looked for that!!,why are the legs not covered completley black?,more input would be of interest.
Rog.