Saturday 17 November 2012

Great Egret

I always wonder why this bird is sometimes called Great Egret, but more commonly Great White Egret? We call a Little Egret just that, a Little Egret, no 'White' involved, although the bird is white and we also call a Cattle Egret just a Cattle Egret, again no 'White', but the bird is that colour. Why the two names and of the most common, why 'Great White Egret'? I only ask?

I digress.

Two days ago a Great (White) Egret was seen in a field near to the village of Eastrea in Cambridgeshire. Its' location was fairly close (as the Egret flies) to where one was seen back in May on the Eldernell part of the Nene Washes. I wonder if it was the same bird?

Today was my first opportunity to visit the area and see the bird for myself. The day dawned dull, cloudy and wet, but I ventured out and arrived at the site to find no bird. After searching various dykes and ditches I came across the bird in a dyke hidden by reeds (the bird, not the dyke). It was still extremely dark, so not the time to go rattling off photo's, so I decided to wait and see if the weather cheered up. The bird flew! Great, where is it going? I thought, as it flew high and east. After fruitlessly looking for the bird by driving around the nearby droves, I returned to the original site where I saw the bird frequenting its' original dyke! The light was better and so I managed to get a couple of shots when it appeared out of the dyke.




I managed to get a short video of the bird fishing, where hopefully, you will able to see it catch a fish.


I still don't understand why it has two names though!?

14 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks Eileen, just wish it had come a bit closer!
      J

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  2. Wow. Lovely shooting John. Another superb tick.
    I dont know either, why can't we keep things simple.?

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    1. Thanks Roy,
      It would be a lot easier, wouldn't it!
      J

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  3. They are so elegant, you can see why they are an inspiration to artists and sculptors. My first instinct, on looking at your photograph, was to get pen and paper and draw it.

    Hope you are still being visited by Waxwings. They are a rather special bird for us, the last time a flock went through Notts was the day we lost our aunt (she was Swedish at the time so Scandic birds stopping in our tree seemed rather significant).

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    1. Hi Charlotte,
      They are extremely elegant and by all means, take up your pen and paper! ;)
      The Waxwings have since moved on, but I am sure that there will be more, they are everywhere at the moment.
      J

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  4. Great stuff John, especially being able to capture it fishing. I've only seen egrets a couple of time but they were too skittish and refused to have their portraits taken.

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    1. Hi John,
      Thank you. They are very 'flighty' birds, but I stayed in my van and used it as a hide, which meant that the bird wasn't scared by me.
      J

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  5. Hi John...A bit if a chase,but success in the end!
    Beauty of a bird, I have not every been able to see only as a speck with binoculars : )!!
    Nice video , especially with a catch for you both!!
    Grace

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    1. Hi Grace,
      Yes, definitely worth it! Thanks very much, it was great to see it fishing and be successful!
      J

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  6. Hi John,Great shots of the Egret and the video as well.

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    1. Hi Gary,
      Thank you, glad you enjoyed it/them!
      J

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  7. Wonderful to see John... I'm impressed really impressed with your camera.

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    1. Thanks Andrew,
      Yes, I am quite pleased with it, not a patch on a DSLR though!
      J

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