Mar. 6, 2011 - Great Egret and Reddish Egret

This Great Egret is coming to join the feeding frenzy I described in last week’s photos. More and more Egrets kept streaming into this one small pond at Ding Darling NWR on Sanibel Island, FL. I’m amazed at how the word got out that this particular pond was the scene of such intensive action.

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The Great Egrets positioned themselves in the mangroves near the water to snatch up any prey item that ventured too close to them.

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Here’s a close-up of a Great Egret at Corkscrew Swamp. It was intently stalking something right along the boardwalk. During breeding season, the bare yellow skin around its eyes turns a bright lime green color. Notice the sturdy, sharp-pointed bill.

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Great Egrets really prefer more open areas for feeding. This one was in the large pool at Ding Darling NWR. Sometimes they stand quietly and wait for small fish to swim close by. Then, with a powerful strike, they snatch the fish from the water. At other times they will slowly stalk a fish until they get close enough to grab it. This one is beginning to get the breeding plumes that extend beyond its tail.

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Great Egrets are very graceful when flying. Their slow but powerful wing beats contribute to that impression, making them appear to float effortlessly through the air.

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Reddish Egrets are found in marshy areas along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. They are not as common as our other herons and egrets. At 27-32” tall, they are medium-sized wading birds. This photo was taken at Ding Darling NWR. Many people are surprised to discover that this species can also be completely white. The white color morph is not as common, and a particular bird is either all white or reddish from birth.

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