Rare?

Nature journal entry from April 20, 2018...

© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 74764693 - "Rare" Little Blue Heron in Walton County, Georgia. April 20, 2018.

What is “rare”? An online dictionary says that something rare is “not found in large numbers and is consequently of interest or value.”

It is always a thing of excitement for me (in a bird-nerd sort of way) to enter into the “rare bird” realm! As soon as I saw the purplish-blue, small sized heron standing on top of one of the duck boxes over the retention pond behind the animal shelter, I knew I had never seen a Little Blue Heron here before. But does that make it “rare”?

While paddling the Okefenokee, I see dozens and dozens of Little Blue Herons; up in the trees, walking on the lily pads, standing next to gators; even the white juveniles are in abundance. They certainly are not rare in the Okefenokee. And there was no shortage of Little Blues on Hilton Head Island and other coastal areas I've visited as well.

But apparently here in Walton County, Georgia, spotting a Little Blue Heron is a rare thing! I had to check the “rare” box on the eBird app and provide supporting text and photo documentation. Even after submitting all that, it was still several weeks before a local reviewer could confirm my sighting.

Twenty-five years ago when all I cared about was snakes, I could never figure out those weird birder people. But now, I’m fully addicted just like them! You know you’re hooked when you want to tell all your friends about the “rare” Little Blue Heron you spotted that day… and they in turn look at you with that same blank stare I used to give the birders. Now I am one!

Walton County, Georgia. April 20, 2018