Photography
Related: About this forumThe Snowy Egret
A few months ago I was house sitting in Santa Ana CA and not far from where I was staying was a kind of "natural" area, the Lower Santiago Creek (pretty much a dry flood control basin with sections paved, used for parking cars, but I go on). However there is a place where a spring flows from a concrete culvert and there is water there year round, if only a few inches deep. This isn't a great photo, but you'll get the picture of where I'm talking about...
I didn't notice it at all but you can see it in the water, a snowy egret! Now I have never seen one before, they do not live in Oregon, and when I saw it I gasped (but not too loudly, I didn't want to scare it away!) I don't think I have ever seen such a beautiful bird. I was maybe ten feet away, and it didn't seem to mind me being there, it just went on feeding, ignoring me! So I took some pictures and that bird made the place seem a bit magical to me, even though there was trash strewn about, auto traffic, etc. So here are some shots I took...
If you're interested I also shot a 2 and a half minute video so you can see how it hunts for food, Also, you can hear the auto traffic nearby (it was evening rush hour and near sundown, hence the nice colors)...
http://vid128.photobucket.com/albums/p195/baronius/snowy%20egret/snowyegret_zps84f5ebf0.mp4
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,296 posts)Oh, these are wonderful pictures! You just never know when you'll see something so beautiful.
And this snowy egret is certainly that. Your fifth picture from the top is quite magical! Of course, all of them are beautiful, but that one really caught my eye...
I also enjoyed watching your video! It's very cool watching the bird stir up the muck in the pond as it looked for things to eat. Does it eat fish? There seemed to be plenty of things to munch on.
Thanks for sharing your work!
Tom Kitten
(7,339 posts)Yes that picture (I think you mean the one with the orangy tree reflection that NV Whino also likes) is my favorite also. It's great how just a small amount of water can act as a mirror - plus the sunset colors really transformed the place, and for awhile I imagined myself in the Okefenokee or someplace similar instead of Orange County suburbia with three freeways a few blocks away!
I know they eat fish, probably small ones (the bird was about the size of a basketball) but that pool most probably didn't have fish. It was probably eating water insects, maybe freshwater shrimp (they live in vernal pools in SoCal), or maybe polliwogs!
By the way, I will be returning down there in a few months and staying a couple of months. Maybe I'll see you taking photos sometime!
Fuddnik
(8,846 posts)We have egrets all over the place. And Ibus (es), curlew, spoonbills, sandhill cranes, swallow tailed kites, and the second largest population of bald eagles in the US. Love 'em all.
The sandhill cranes are about 5'tall, and a couple of months ago, about a dozen adults, and their babies were were hanging around where I work on a golf course.Adults are always around, but you don't see the puppies that often.
mnhtnbb
(31,318 posts)Isn't it fun to find such a beautiful bird--and have it ignore you--when not expected?
Thanks for posting the photos and video.
lovemydog
(11,833 posts)Thank you Tom Kitten!
joshdawg
(2,637 posts)You're right, it is a beautiful bird. Thanks for posting this.
brer cat
(24,401 posts)Thanks for sharing. K&R
NV Whino
(20,886 posts)I love the one with the orange reflections. Sets off the bird nicely.
Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)and these are great shots.
locks
(2,012 posts)The egrets are everywhere in Florida and Louisiana but it's a thrill for Coloradans to get to see the dozen or so who migrate through every summer and stay a while.
Old Crow
(2,212 posts)Sorry, couldn't resist.
Great photos and a fascinating video. It was really interesting to see how the bird agitated the bottom of the stream with its feet. It's wonderful, too, that this bird was willing to hang out with you, without fear, and go about its business. It must've been a magical experience. Thanks for sharing it with us.
oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)I am glad you had this wonderful visit with the egret. Wonderful
Tom Kitten
(7,339 posts)I posted this late this morning before I went to bed, come back this evening and it's on the front page! My most successful post ever!
Thank you everybody for such wonderful comments! I'm on cloud 9.
I'll post more of some photos I took on my travels later...OK?
irisblue
(32,828 posts)these pictures are amazing.
Celebration
(15,812 posts)Love the photos and the whole story..............
Ilsa
(61,675 posts)down. Lowered my blood pressure, too.
Birds are awesome. We love to watch them. Even in a congested environment they survive and make life better.
Thank you for sharing.
Mz Pip
(27,403 posts)The sixth and the twelfth are my favorites. Impressionist's heaven IMHO. Just wonderful.