Yesterday, before I got going for the day I noticed a few visitors down by the water...a lovely Great Egret aka Great White Egret aka Great White Heron. Apparently this species of egret needs a few aliases, hmm makes you wonder why?! ;)
There were actually 3 Great Egrets just off of our pier yesterday, but I only got close enough to one of them to snap a few pictures. I kept my distance, but eventually it took off with one of the other egrets and down the creek it went.
I just love where I live and all that it has to offer, I consider myself more than a little lucky and oh so fortunate!
To be able to look out my back door and see such beauty, and learn something new...like what color a Great Egret's Lores are during mating season...wow, how cool is that?!
Of course I never leave well enough alone, and have to play around with my images, but by doing so it makes me discover even more about my subject matter, and I love that too!
I also stumbled across this lovely poem by poet Judith Wright (who it seems was not just a wonderful poet, but a great woman!) while looking up info on Great Egrets.
Once as I travelled through a quiet evening,
I saw a pool, jet-black and mirror-still.
Beyond, the slender paperbarks stood crowding;
each on its own white image looked its fill,
and nothing moved but thirty egrets wading -
thirty egrets in a quiet evening.
Once in a lifetime, lovely past believing,
your lucky eyes may light on such a pool.
As though for many years I had been waiting,
I watched in silence, till my heart was full
of clear dark water, and white trees unmoving,
and, whiter yet, those thirty egrets wading.
I saw a pool, jet-black and mirror-still.
Beyond, the slender paperbarks stood crowding;
each on its own white image looked its fill,
and nothing moved but thirty egrets wading -
thirty egrets in a quiet evening.
Once in a lifetime, lovely past believing,
your lucky eyes may light on such a pool.
As though for many years I had been waiting,
I watched in silence, till my heart was full
of clear dark water, and white trees unmoving,
and, whiter yet, those thirty egrets wading.
Posts
So beautiful and majestic.
ReplyDeleteIt looks very regal. the marking on the beak is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that about de lores...
ReplyDeleteYour photos are AMAZING...and that was the perfect poem to accompany them. I don't know this poet at all but will google her now. Thanks-xo Diana
ReplyDeleteI have been enjoying the egrets and other beautiful birds at my Dad's in Florida. Your photos are stunning and how wonderful to capture that bit of green! Love the poem...
ReplyDeleteWonderful post! :)
Gorgeous. Such beauty out your door Kat.
ReplyDeleteOh Kat, that is absolutely stunning! The green caught my eye right away in contrast to that amazing snow white and I heard myself let out a little gasp! xo ~Lili
ReplyDeleteWow ~ That really is some find, Kat. Beautiful poem, too.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering what kind of bird had that green on it's face...how interesting! Beautiful photos, Kat...you ARE blessed to have so much wildlife around!
ReplyDeleteHI Kat! Your photos are gorgeous, all of them (I caught up a bit)and I love the poem. That is so cool that you caught him/her in such a time of his life. I hope you are well and enjoying your week.
ReplyDeletexoxox
Kat-
ReplyDeleteEgret's are such beautiful birds. Your photos captured their majesty perfectly. You are so blessed to have this beauty in your backyard!
Xo
Vicki
Lucky you!
ReplyDeleteI almost got blessed by pigeon droppings on my way to work this morning.
You got it made!
m.
Kat, those birds are so beautiful and you have caught some beautiful photos of them! Just gorgeous! Thanks for sharing with us!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Kat...and the green around the eyes is so amazing!
ReplyDeletexx kelley
amazing
ReplyDeletei can't believe you get these shots!!
I adore these photos of the Great White Heron and I had NO idea about the green feathers. How special that you captured these photos, thanks for sharing !!
ReplyDeleteThose photos are amazing, breath-taking, gorgeous! I love that you caught the bird in mating season with the green feathers. What a special moment for you. I even called my husband up to have a look at those pictures.
ReplyDeleteHe is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteHope you and yours have been well and enjoying spring weather. So busy with grandbaby, house, Atticmag, etc. But I always love coming to you blog - gazing at your photos always brings my blood pressure down and is so relaxing!
regards,
Allison