Larry Treadwell
About the Image(s)
Wurdeman Heron Female
In the near twilight I was paddling through the everglades heading back to my vehicle when I spotted what I thought was a Great Blue Heron returning to a nest. But the bird just looked wrong. When I reached the nest area I set my tripod up to get a shot showing the detail of the head, the part that struck me as odd. I managed to capture about three images before the bird bedded down for the night. When I got home I pulled the images and all my bird books because I had never seen a feather pattern like this on a Great Blue Heron. I found nothing. So I called a member of the local Audubon chapter and asked if I sent him a copy of the image, would he take a stab at IDing the bird. After I sent the image I went to bed. Less than 20 minutes later my phone was ringing. My friend was in an extreme state of excitement and asking a million questions. Did I have more images, where was the bird? Moments later I learned that what I had spotted was an extremely rare bird known as the Wurdeman Heron. My bird was the result of a freakish cross species breeding between a White Egret and a Great Blue Heron. Sightings of such a bird are very rare, no one in south Florida is on record as seeing one in nearly 10 years. When I explained that it was nesting he begged me to take him to see the bird. I explained that it was almost a two hour drive to where I launched my canoe and about an hour worth of paddling to get there. With Covid active I would not put him in my car or my canoe but if he wanted to meet me, bring his own canoe and was up for the paddle I would guide him with no guarantees on the bird being there. He agreed. Two days later we were to meet at a parking area along the levees of the everglades. When I arrived at the meeting location I found 9 vehicles, including one pulling an airboat and 16 total people all wanting to go see the bird.
I love to photograph wildlife, but I would rather not get the shot, than harm the animal or disturb its way of life. This meeting looked like a recipe for a disaster. Without getting out of my car I told the gathering group, I did not want to get that close to them due to the Covid, and that I would not, under any conditions, take that mob to the nest site. To me, that mob (with airboat) could frighten the bird away from her nest and maybe she would abandon her eggs or young. I left a yelling and angry group in a parking area as I drove off.
Since this unfortunate event I have received a number of phone calls begging for a nest visit and turned them all down. On the other hand, I have been back to the nest twice, what I found, will have to wait until next month.
This round’s discussion is now closed!
14 comments posted
(Groups 4 & 15 & 58 & 59 & 72)
I'd rather be lucky than good when in the field.
  Posted: 08/05/2020 12:02:16
I do have one observation which I didn't see explained. Your original photo is different than the one posted. Was this to show the difference between the species?
The image is nicely lit and the colors are sharp. What were your camera settings? I'm looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us next month.   Posted: 08/09/2020 21:28:16
I'm not a great fan the the Audubon "watchdogs". Ran in to a pair of them 2 years ago at an Eagle nest. They didn't what anyone within over a 1/4 mile but they parked their vehicle in the only shade in the area--the shade provided by the tree the eagles were nesting in!!
Yes the two photos are different---the main photo is my rare bird and the "original" is just a shot I happened to have of Normal GBH. I put it there just so folks could see the difference between normal and the rare bird.
You will just have to wait until next month. :-)   Posted: 08/10/2020 08:50:35
(Group 32)
The cross species breeding is very interesting because it demonstrates that gene pools are much more varied than most people realize. Last I heard (in high school), a species was defined by 90% success in breeding, so lower percentages of breeding success define different species. That make for a lot of mixing. And this comes just as we have had recent scientific announcements about human past genetic mixing.   Posted: 08/10/2020 23:12:15
I adopted a philosophy about wildlife photography years ago and have never forsaken it. No fleeting image is worth harming the animal. Sometimes it is hard to follow,but this case as a no brainer.
In this case I think the cross breeding accounts for why I never saw the male around the nest. Only the female. Poor gal really had to work to build a nest and raise a family on her own. she didn't need any disruptions.   Posted: 08/11/2020 09:38:35
(Groups 73 & 94)
Please check back next month---things got a bit better. But that is all I'm saying until September. :-)   Posted: 08/18/2020 14:53:45
This shows how serious one should be to respect the nature undisturbed wherever possible. Really liked your approach. I know one of my other friends did not want to give away the know hows of a rare Spider knowing what researchers do to that small creature. Its this little way we can give back to nature too...
As for the image, the bird is brought our clear despite of cluttered back ground. very nice. Just one observation from me. I see the beak is merging with the twig in the bg. Probably a small clone or reduced exposure on that twig might be better.
Can't wait to see the next month's image. Let me guess... this mother with her chicks?   Posted: 08/25/2020 03:58:25