This Snowy Egret’s pose really showed off his beautiful feet. That yellow gets a little brighter during breeding season, and is now starting to fade a bit.
There were dozens of nests with chicks in the island behind me and this fellow was taking a break from the din.
He repeated this water tossing behavior a couple of times…
…it seemed more about the fun that feeding or even getting a drink.
Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
June 12, 2024
A Snowy Egret showing off his moves and his brightly colored feet, hoping to attract a mate.
Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
March 29, 2024
There hasn’t been much action in Perry Pond with the water high, but a few Snowy Egrets were staking a claim.
This one, closer to shore, was hunting by stirring the water with his feet.
Slowly moving forward, hoping some small fish or crustacean would show itself.
He didn’t have much luck and decided to move on.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
March 23, 2024
We drove by this mostly dead tangle of a mangrove several times.
With the pond water high there was a constant rotation of wading birds using it.
Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, Florida
December 31, 2023
On the opposite side of the wildlife drive from the Mangroves a different ecosystem was attracting a variety of wading birds feeding in some shallow water. On other trips I’ve seen this area completely dry. After the recent rains there was water here, although it’s not visible from this angle.
Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, Florida
December 29, 2023
Three wading birds were hanging out in the Spoonie Tree on Sunday.
They took turns on the various branches, occasionally routing one of the others off the tree.
They would quickly return and then manage to line themselves up with the one branch left sticking out towards me.
The water was high in the pond and only the longer legged Great Egret took a turn in the water.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 8, 2023
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
January 17, 2023
The movement in the water is little fish jumping ahead of the approaching Snowy Egret.
The fish may think they are escaping…
…but it seems to help the egret snag his snack…
…which he eats on the fly while circling around for another pass.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
April 2, 2023
Earlier this fall I mentioned that the water was being drained from the big rice field pond at Magnolia in preparation for burning the invasive cattails. Conditions to start the fire didn’t come together before the approach of a late season hurricane and with the potential for damage to the dikes from a storm management decided to let the water back in.
This past week they decided to try again. One of the staff told me they hope to burn by the end of December. In the mean time, wading birds have gathered to take advantage of easy feeding in the shallow water.
The alligator ramp in the upper right in the next photo would normally have water up to the lower end.
The Great Egret in the center caught a tiny fish, and a leaf.
It was a grey day so I didn’t get much contrast with all the white birds, but it was a fun show.
Perry Pond, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston SC
December 4, 2022
