Non-birders may be surprised to learn that a wide variety of herons, ibis and egrets summer in or visit the Front Range urban corridor. Indeed, great blue herons and black-crowned night herons are common permanent residents while great egrets, snowy egrets, white-faced ibis and cattle egrets are common summer residents and migrants. Both American and least bitterns are uncommon summer residents and a host of waders are rare summer visitors; the latter include tricolored herons, yellow-crowned night herons and white ibis.
Most of these waders favor shallow mudflats and marshlands along the border of ponds, lakes and rivers and are thus not obvious to those who visit wetland habitats. This summer, however, the drought has severely lowered the water level in lakes and rivers, drawing herons and egrets out into the open in search of fish and aquatic invertebrates.
As a result, I have encountered far more waders in Littleton than I have seen in past years. Just this morning, I saw ten snowy egrets, five black-crowned night herons and a few great blue herons along a short stretch of the South Platte River. Of course, such rewards do not make up for a crippling drought but its effects are worth noting.
