Maybe a domestic goose? Here is a link to adult and juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons

http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i2020id.html

I actually thought it was a domestic goose at one time. Yesterday I got a closer look because a few stragglers came over onto our property. There was actually a flock of about 50 of them in the neighbours field. To bad I couldn't get close enough to get a good picture! Now I'm not even sure that they are geese, the neck is to long and slender. Now that the weather has gotten a bit colder, they haven't shown up for a few days. Maybe they'll be back next year and I can try to get closer and get a picture. Marg

Maybe they're Sandhill Cranes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandhill_Crane

Hi. I think you've got it. I looked at the pictures of them standing and didn't think that it was because of the different tail feathers but when I saw the picture of the one flying, with the legs stretched out behind, I knew it was. That's really the only way I could really see them. I'm not an avid bird watcher but since we've moved here to the farm, we see so many different kinds of birds, that I think it's time to start! Thanks again.

Wow..to have Sandhill Cranes flocking so close to you! Maybe you can buy a camera and start sharing some of your sighting with us??

I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of the cranes. Guess I'll have to get better at sneaking up on them! It's also difficult when your property is flat with no mature trees or shrubs except along the fenceline. I'll have to work on that. Here's a pic of a visitor that came to the house. That was last year and he kept coming back, I expect because he was hunting toads and frogs (and probably the occasional garter snake). We get various water birds because there is a conservation area 15 miles south of us and a large marsh about an hour north of us and we see them flying overhead from one to the other. To bad most of them never land. Anyway, here he is. Both these pics were taken from inside the house. It's a black capped Night Heron. Cute huh?

{{!gwi}}

Here' a closer one. When I saw movement at the side of the house, I ran in and got my camera and then headed for the kitchen. When I got to the door, I stopped because he was standing on the windowsill. I walked right up to the counter and started snapping away. Gues he was used to the attention because he didn't move, just kept watching me and posing.

{{!gwi}}

That actually looks to be a juvie Green Heron.

-O-

Discussion of the heron jumped to one of the junco posts. I wanted to bring it back here so perhaps others would weigh in who might not necessarily see it there.

First, I should have said immature and not juvenile Green Heron (my bad).

My salient points from the other thread:

The bill on this bird is longer and thinner than a night-heron's.

There are what appear to be dark green feathers on the lawn photo bird.

The eye is yellow-I'd expect more orange (on the way to red) in a BCNH.

The window photo bird has a raised crest which is very common in Green Herons-I've never seen that on a BCNH.

This is all in the spirit of good-natured debate; I'm not trying to be snarky, nor am I even remotely a know-it-all (I actually know frightfully little, taking a big-picture view).

-O-

Well Orrin_h, you know more about identifying a bird than I do. I'm a newbie at this so I really appreciate the input. Thanks for the answer and also for bringing my post back here. I had tried to start a new thread but guess I forgot to hit the 'new message' link. Didn't realize my mistake until after posting. Marg

Per the discussion on the juncos discussion the bird is too big to be a green heron. Birding Nut thought it might be a great blue heron. How large is the bird? If it looks huge it is probably a great blue heron rather than a night heron.

Richard

I think so too; if the bird is tall when it's neck is stretched out, I would guess Great Blue Heron.

I'd buy Great Blue Heron. I've had a niggling 'not quite right' feeling about Green Heron but as I said before, size is tricky with photo birds. The window bird still doesn't seem that big, so I never really considered the big guys. Now I'm having a 'duh' moment....

-O-