Sometimes the wading birds make big splashes with their beaks when they are hunting. Whatever this one was after got away.
Great Egret Making a Splash
Sometimes the wading birds make big splashes with their beaks when they are hunting. Whatever this one was after got away.
Love this photo Ellen!
Thanks, Liz!
Wonderful image, Ellen. I love the way that you were able to freeze the moment and the ripples really enhance the feeling. As I look at the black bill of the egret and the yellowish skin at the base of the bill, I wonder if it might be a Snowy Egret rather than a Great Egret.
Thanks, Mike, glad you liked it. Yes, it could be a Snowy Egret based on those items. I just went back and looked at the other images I took of this bird and alas didn’t get any of the feet, always the easy ID item with the Snowy’s bright yellow clown feet. This bird had behavior and size more like a Great Egret and was missing the characteristic head feathers of a Snowy. All that said, I’m now not sure which it is, and do wonder how much interbreeding goes on.
Bird identification can be so complicated at times and the interbreeding question makes it even tougher. We don’t get snowy egrets here at all, so I am not familiar with them. It just struck me that the bird in your image didn’t look like the great egrets I am used to seeing.
So true. I’ve been on the lookout to get some new Snowy Egret images. They are around but are keeping their distance nesting in the places I’ve seen them.