Tag Archives: great egret

Biridng Trips and Tours in SC, Out There with the Expert

Great Egret in breeding plumage

By Sally Siko

Great Egrets are a common sight here in the Carolinas. Almost as as ubiquitous to the landscape as a Northern Cardinal unfortunately can lead us to kind of ignore these beauties.
But as it goes so often with birds, keeping a sharp eye on all the species which cross our paths can lead to some delightful moments.
In this case, a splendid display of a Great Egret coming into breeding plumage!


I photographed this handsome Egret getting harassed by a jerk Brown Pelican (he was being a total bully, even having the gall to go after a large Great Blue Heron who was minding his own business lol!) during my birding tour this past weekend at the Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet South Carolina.
Normally these guys are pretty cool to see but when their long plumes grow out they turn into something like a white peacock of the water.

Did you know that these these majestic birds were nearly hunted to extinction?This was due to the demand of those elegant white breeding plumes in the late 1900s. A now familiar icon of the Audubon Society, public awareness of this species rapid decline was the flash point which sparked the fist bird conservation movements in the United States.Today, these stately birds are thriving and are happily found searching for food throughout much of the U.S.



As you might expect, Great Egrets are found in similar habitats of other wading birds such as Herons and Bitterns, often seen along the shorelines of ponds, lakes, marshes, estuaries and brackish water inlets.They are a bit smaller and more lithe then Great Blue Herons, yet these are still big birds with large wingspans of around 5.5 feet.Expert hunters of frogs and fish, they’ll stand perfectly still in the shallow water along a shoreline until the moment they strike.A lightning quick thrust of their sharp yellow bill is all that’s needed to land a meal and then their prey is swallowed whole.
As a birder and photographer I think they are super entertaining to watch while hunting and are always worth taking the time to stop and admire when in the field.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5
Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Great Egrets in North Carolina

Whenever I find myself birding in wetland areas, my constant companion is usually a Great Egret. They are quite beautiful when seen up close and very entertaining to watch stalking their prey.
I photographed these two elegant Egrets earlier this year at Greenfield Lake in Wilmington NC and at Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet, SC.



Great Egrets are found in similar habitats of other wading birds such as Herons and Bitterns, often seen along the shorelines of ponds, lakes, marshes, estuaries and brackish water inlets.
They are a bit smaller and more lithe then Great Blue Herons, yet these are still big birds with large wingspans of around 5.5 feet.
Expert hunters of frogs and fish, they’ll stand perfectly still in the shallow water along a shoreline until the moment they strike.
A lightning quick thrust of their sharp yellow bill is all that’s needed to land a meal and then their prey is swallowed whole.



Though they are a common sight across the southern United States, this was not always the case.
Did you know that these majestic birds were nearly hunted to extinction due to the demand of their beautiful white breeding plumes in the late 1900s?
A now familiar icon of the Audubon Society, public awareness of this species rapid decline was the flash point which sparked the fist bird conservation movements in the United States.
Today, Great Egrets are thriving and are happily found searching for food throughout the Carolinas.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved 50MP beast, the @canonusa #5Ds

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Great Egret encounter at Greenfield Lake in Wilmington, NC

By: Sally Siko

Here’s a bird that is often overlooked here in North Carolina, the Great Egret.
Though they are indeed a common sight along the shores of waterways, it’s a shame to ignore these stately birds with their lovely white plumage & piercing gaze.
I spotted this one last week while birding on a rainy morning at Greenfield Lake in Wilmington.



Usually I try to zoom in with my photos to give you guys a close up look at the birds (as shown in the last photo of this post of one I saw at the Huntington Beach State Park) but I just loved the hauntingly beautiful portrait opportunity that this scene presented me with. The fog, cold rain, and a Spanish moss draped cypress tree offered combined with this handsome Egret sitting there overlooking his domain just made me stop and appreciate just how beautiful this moment was.



Great Egrets are a year round resident of NC and as I mentioned, they are commonly found along the edges of lakes, rivers, ponds and marshes in both fresh & brackish water areas.
They’re expert hunters, always on the lookout for a meal in the mud or swimming at their feet.
They’ll slowly stalk the shoreline, barely making a ripple as the walk. When the Egret spies it’s prey, they’ll freeze motionless except for their heads which they will wobble ever so slightly from side to side.
Though no clear reason has been shown as to why they shake their heads, researchers believe that the motion may attract prey or serve to confuse since it would be difficult for a fish or frog to figure out exactly where the Egrets head is when looking up at it from beneath the water.
Pretty cool, huh?
🙂

Photos by me @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved beast, the mighty mirrorless @canonusa #R5

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Great Egret at Lake Mattamuskeet, n.C.

By: Sally Siko- Admin Birdwatching NC

The majestic Great Egret is a beautiful sight to see in our North Carolina waterways.
I found this one last weekend taking off from next to a small canal at Lake Landing at Lake Mattamuskeet in Englehard, N.C.



They are a bit smaller and more lithe then Great Blue Herons, yet these are still big birds with large wingspans.
They are expert hunters of frogs and fish, standing very still until the moment they strike.
A lightning quick thrust of their sharp yellow bill is all that’s needed to land a meal and then their prey is swallowed whole.


These majestic birds were nearly hunted to extinction due to the demand of their beautiful white breeding plumes in the late 1900s.
A now familiar icon of the Audubon Society, public awareness of this species rapid decline was the flash point which sparked the fist bird conservation movements in the United States.
Today, Great Egrets are thriving and are happily found searching for food throughout much of the U.S.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatchingnc
Canon 5Ds

Field Notes

How far do great Egrets fly

A Great Egret at Jordan Lake in Apex, N.C.
This majestic symbol of the National Audubon Society is recognizable by a slow flight, often cruising with their necks retracted.
This one was gliding over Jordan Lake last week as I was out searching for Eagles.
🌿
A few years ago, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences partnered with public schools to capture 8 Great Egrets and attach GPS tags.
Some stayed in here North Carolina; others traveled quite a distance way.
Data showed one female traveled from Lake Mattamuskeet, in Hyde County, to New York City in a single night. She eventually settled in Massachusetts, where she bred and then headed south to Cuba.
Pretty amazing!

Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5DS

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Birds of a feather…

While birding at Jordan Lake on Wednesday, I found a Great Blue Heron and a Great Egret hunting together.
Since Herons and Egrets are normally territorial when it comes to searching for prey, I was surprised to see these two behaving like a bonded pair.
In fact, every step that the Egret took, the Great Blue followed.
🌿
Although rare, there has been a few documented cases of Great Blue Heron and Great Egret hybridization.
Most recently one has been noted at the fishing pier at Fort De Soto Park near St. Petersburg, Florida.
Known as as a Great Blue Heron x Great Egret hybrid (Ardea herodias x alba), this unusual bird is one of a kind!
🌿
Although I certainly cannot say that the two birds featured in these pics are attempting to breed with one another, their peaceful behavior was interesting to observe.
Moments like this are a great example of why I enjoy getting outside to photograph birds.
There’s always the potential to be surprised by an unexpected encounter, and the opportunity to learn something new is often just one click away 🙂
🌿
Swipe to the second photo to get a closer look at these handsome birds…
Photo by @sally_siko

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Great egret Agression

While standing on the eagle observation deck at Jordan Lake yesterday, I observed two Great Egrets chasing one another over the water. These majestic birds can be quite aggressive! This is not unusual behavior as Great Egrets are very territorial when it comes to courtship, nesting and feeding.

Prey such as Frogs, snakes, crayfish, fish, mice, crickets, aquatic insects, grasshoppers, and many other insects constitute the typical diet of these competitive birds. However, it has been found that Great Egrets are highly aggressive in many situations even when food is not limited.

Guess these two don’t want to share, even when there is plenty of food to go around.. I’m not sure why they were fighting but it was truly an interesting moment to photograph!

Photo by @sally_siko Canon 5Ds

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

The face of modern bird conservation: A Great Egret at Jordan Lake

Crouching on a small cliff overlooking the lake, watching for the instant that this Great Egret caught his fish. Not wanting to interfere with his hunt, I kept my distance to avoid spooking him when I took this photo.
During the 19th century, Great Egrets were at the brink of extinction due to an international feather craze. The flowing white breeding plumage of the egrets were highly sought after.
The birds rescue arrived early in the 1900s, when a brand new organization called the National Audubon Society chose the Great Egret as its first species chosen for preservation.
Since then, the Great Egret has made a quite a recovery, and that success is a fitting tribute to the efforts of the Audubon Society who chose the bird as its symbol, a living legacy of modern conservation at its finest.
Photo by @sally_siko

Birdwatching News, Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Where to photograph big birds in North Carolina

Standing up on a rock along the shore, I heard a loud croaking noise to my left.
Swinging my lens around, I turned towards the sound and there was this Great Egret gliding over the water.
What a sight!
I gotta say, if your searching for big birds to photograph, Jordan Lake in Apex N.C. is the place to go!
Photo by @sally_siko

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

An encounter with a Great Egret at Jordan lake

Had a nice trip to the Martha’s Chapel area of Jordan Lake this morning.
One of the highlights of the day was this encounter with a Great Egret who was fishing along the shoreline.
They are one of the largest of the wading birds found here in North Carolina.
Sometimes miss identified with Great White Heron, the comparatively thinner orange bill and dark legs of the Great Egret are useful distinguishing characteristics.
Photo by @sally_siko .