c12s

Thanks for the quick responses and forcing me to reconstruct exactly where this photo was taken. I believe I took this one at the Florida Keys Wild Bird Sanctuary which I think makes sense considering it's rarity.

I haven't been able to find this bird seen in south Florida. Thanks!

Thank you all, it's the first I'd seen. Now I'll know the next time, the color was new to me.

That looks promising, thank you! The beak was thin and it definitely wasn't a wood stork. I'll run it by my friend and see if he agrees. In the meantime I think I'll head out today and see if I can see them again. Any excuse to spend time there is a good excuse (but who needs an excuse!)

I'm suspecting you're right in that the lighting made the underside look black when, if fact, they weren't. I love the Little Blues and am seeing them frequently lately but what I saw was too big to be one. I think it's best to withdraw my question and I'll see if I experience the same thing again in a different light. I do appreciate everyone's help!

Thanks for the welcome. They were all flying together.

I don't think so, coincidentally I set out to find Wood Storks when I saw these. I did find some but didn't get any photos.

That is correct, the photo is one I found on this forum when searching for an answer to my own question. It is NOT what I saw nor am I having any luck finding the original post.

A friend and I were driving in the Everglades yesterday and saw quite a few birds flying overhead, no photos. He thought they were White Ibis but I don't think so and lean towards a heron. The distinguishing feature was the underside of the wings appeared solid black with a white body. The closest I can guess is a Tricolored Heron based on a photo seen on this site that I've posted here too. What we saw didn't have the white though, maybe an immature?

October in Naples, Florida - urban location.