Great Egret at the Valley Center Parkway Ponds ~ July 20, 2026

Great Egret sightings usually increase in late summer during what is known as the "post-breeding dispersal period". Yesterday, Dan Altif spotted one at the Valley Center Parkway ponds, so I drove over there to see if it might still be there. Before I parked the car, I noticed it in the pond next to Route 22 where I took these photos of it.

Great Egret

I then went to the Regency Boulevard ponds where I saw a female Wood Duck with three young, a Killdeer, and an Eastern Kingbird.

I stopped at Green Pond on the way back and found 11 continuing Snow Geese, a Killdeer, 3 Spotted Sandpipers, 4 Least Sandpipers, a Green Heron, a Great Blue Heron, 5 American Goldfinches, and 5 Chipping Sparrows. The Least Sandpipers were in the back middle pond along the paved pathway, which is now the only one that has water remaining in it.

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