Immature Black-Crowned Night Heron?

I spotted this bird while taking Raisin ashore. It was sitting on another dingy. It didn’t seem worried as I motored past, but when I came back it had moved to the other side of the run at Silver Glen Springs, FL.

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In my “Field Guide to the Birds East of the Rockies”, I found 2 birds that might fit.

I believe it is the Immature Black-Crowned Night Heron.059cs

My guide doesn’t have a photo..just a drawing, and both immature Yellow-Crowned and Black-Crowned Herons look similar, the beak on this bird most closely resembles the beak on the Black-Crowned Heron. 075cs

I had a great time watching it. For a moment I thought it was going to dive in and grab something.

I will be watching at dusk to see if I can spot an adult. They look like beautiful birds…ones that I have never seen.

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