Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)

Abundance: Very Uncommon (at least 33 records in 12 counties, 4 in Kentucky and 8 in Tennessee).

Status: Transient during spring (6 records) and fall (27 records); designated as an endangered breeding species by the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission (2004); designated as in need of management by the Tennessee Division of Natural Heritage (2004); photograph (see link below).

Regional High Count: 19 (19 August 1990; Putnam County, Tennessee; Stephen J. Stedman, Barbara H. Stedman; Stedman 1993).

Information on Records: 

Late summer 1932 (1+) near Quebeck, White County, Tennessee (Henry M. Stevenson; Stevenson 1933).

22 and/or 23 April 1961 (1) Putnam County, Tennessee (observers unknown; Anonymous 1961a), a Spring Bird Count record.

13 July 1970 (1) Lillydale, Clay County, Tennessee (Roy T. Hinds; Parmer 1970c).

1 July 1973 (1--immature) Pickett County, Tennessee (observer not specified; Nicholson 1982a).

19 April 1975 (1) Putnam County, Tennessee (observers unknown; Williams 1975b), Spring Bird Count record.

14-22 July 1990 (1--immature) pond in southeast corner of intersection Rts. 111 and 70N, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data and photo), photo.

22-23 July 1990 (3--immatures) City Lake, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman photo, Barbara H. Stedman unpubl. data), photo.

19 August 1990 (19--adults) Monterey Lake, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Barbara H. Stedman; Stedman 1993).

9 April 1992 (1--adult) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, David Hume; Stedman 1993).

18 & 26 July 1992 (1--immature) City Lake, Putnam County, Tennessee (David Hume unpubl. data).

27 July-21 August 1992 (1--immature) Burgess Falls State Natural Area, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, m. ob.; Stedman 1993).

11 July-26 September1993 (1-3--immatures) 8 miles east of Monterey on Rt. 62, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Barbara H. Stedman; Knight 1994a).

31 July 1993 (1--immature) Monterey Lake, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

23-31 August 1993 (1--immature) Burgess Falls Natural Area, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

4 September 1993 (2--immatures [JBE notes]) Casey Creek area, Green River Lake, Adair County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.).

10 April 1994 (1) Jackson County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

18 May 1997 (2--1 adult and 1 mottled immature) Pumphouse Pond, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton unpubl. data, Mary Kissel).

19 July 1998 (1--immature) Lake Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Steve Denton, Samson Denton unpubl. data).

4 April 1999 (1--adult) Lake Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton unpub. data).

28 July/29 July-27 August 2004 (2--immatures/1--immature) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton unpubl. data and photo), photo (August 2004, Roseanna M. Denton).

12 August 2004 (1--immature) Warren County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman photo, Winston A. Walden unpubl. data), photo.

31 July-22 August 2005 (1--immature) Celina, Clay County, Tennessee (Terry M. Campbell photo and unpubl. data), photo.

27 September 2005 (4--immatures) Thurston's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2006a).

26 July 2006 (4--immatures) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton unpubl. data).

29 July/12/21 August 2006 (1/4/2--immatures) both sides of river below dam at Rock Island State Park, White/Warren County, Tennessee (Marti Downs, Douglas A. Downs/Douglas A. Downs unpubl. data/Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

19 August 2006 (1--immature) Thurston's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton unpubl. data).

21/24 August 2006 (2/1--immatures) Randolph Pond, Walter Stone Rd., White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data/Douglas A. Downs unpubl. data).

2-3 September 2006 (1--immature) Mud Creek area, Warren County, Tennessee (Susan McWhirter, Mac McWhirter unpubl. data).

24 July-13 August 2007 (1 immature) Casey Creek, Adair County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton unpubl. data).

10 July 2008 (1--immature) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton unpubl. data).

12 July 2008 (2--immatures) Randolph Pond, Walter Stone Rd., White County, Tennessee (Douglas A. Downs photo, Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

4 August 2009 (1--immature) Burns Lake near Bledsoe County High School, Bledsoe County, Tennessee (DJ Stanley photo).

17 August 2009 (1--immature) Dry Creek Unit, Barren WMA, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer photo).

Regional Extreme Dates: 

    Spring: 4 April 1999 (1 adult; Pulaski County, Kentucky; Roseanna M. Denton)-18 May 1997 (2--1 adult and 1 mottled immature; Pulaski County, Kentucky; Roseanna M. Denton, Mary Kissel).

    Fall: 1 July 1973 (1 immature; Pickett County, Tennessee; observer not specified; Nicholson 1982a)-27 September 2005 (4 immatures; Wayne County, Kentucky; Roseanna M. Denton unpubl. data).

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: No registrations.

Habitat: 

Remarks: Except for the record involving the high count, all fall reports have concerned herons in immature plumage.

    Alsop (undated [1980]) indicates a record in Smith County, Tennessee, but provides not details.

Counties with Observations (boldfaced):

To see a map (Figure 1) displaying the data in the table above, click on the boldfaced word in this sentence.

Literature Cited