Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) on Great Bear Lake

Edward Reeves writes,

We think it is the furthest North one has been sited. Has this birds migration been disrupted because of the changing winds in the North or is it that he simply lost his way?

LEO says:

We agree, based on the range information in Hinterlands Who's Who, this bird is far north (perhaps over 600 km) of it's normal range.

NWT Wildlife Division Consult:

Dr Suzanne Carrière writes, "The sighting in August 2016 may be the same bird as the September 2016 photo below. The observers are different. We are treating this as a confirmed sighting."

Note: as per NWT Wildlife Division records: "there are about ten occurrences (of Great blue heron) mainly in the southern part of the territory but ranging as far north as Delion and the Thelon River. Principal dates early May to late August. See attached chart.

Resource:

HINTERLAND WHO'S WHO – Another good resource is "The Great Blue Heron has the widest distribution in Canada of all herons: it ranges from the Maritime provinces in the east across southern Canada to the Pacific Ocean, and north along the entire length of the British Columbia Pacific coast to Alaska’s Prince William Sound in the west (see map). While it breeds in all provinces except Newfoundland and Labrador, this bird spends the winter in Canada only on the British Columbia coast and in parts of the Maritime provinces. Most birds move south for the winter, and banded birds from Canada have been found in Mexico, Honduras, and Cuba. Colonies of Great Blue Herons are also found in Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands."

Cornell Lab or Ornithology – A good resource for bird observations is the "Largest of the North American herons with long legs, a sinuous neck, and thick, daggerlike bill. Head, chest, and wing plumes give a shaggy appearance. In flight, the Great Blue Heron curls its neck into a tight “S” shape; its wings are broad and rounded and its legs trail well beyond the tail."