I have never seen a Great Egret on the Long Island Sound this late in the year. The observations of bird populations over time leads to environmental awareness and is a signal of possible change.
I have never seen a Great Egret on the Long Island Sound this late in the year. The observations of bird populations over time leads to environmental awareness and is a signal of possible change.
The Great Egrets around here fly in at low-tide to feed on the aquatic life of the mudflats. A few days later the Long Island Sound was hit with a snowy nor’ester, and no egrets have been seen since.
The Long Island Sound is a big summer range for the Great Egret. Around this time of year they start flying south to their all year round range (think Florida). I saw these four flying together, swoop in for a short break, and then take off to continue their migration journey.
On August 28, 2011 Tropical Storm Irene slammed the Long Island Sound’s Connecticut north shore. I have been living here for 50 years and have never seen a storm surge like this. Thanks to my neighbor Vinnie for taking this amazing footage of the storm surge moving my front deck over to the side yard. I estimate the water was about 15 feet above the normal high tide level, well below the other side of the seawall seen here.
The blue fish run on the Sound this time of the year. When some baby blues swam close to the shore at low-tide, in swooped the egrets and cormorants for the dinner-time feed frenzy.
Leaning forward, neck extended, and a long yellow bill make catching fish easy for this white heron feeding in the low-tide mudflat.
The Great Egret is a large, stately, slender white heron with black legs and feet. When feeding as seen here, assumes as eager forward-leaning pose, neck extended.
In contrast to the rushing about Snowy Egrets, the deliberate Great Egret when feeding assumes the forward-leaning pose to spot fish in the shallow water.
Nice footage of the Snowy Egret’s yellow feet and why this heron is called “golden slippers”. When feeding rushes about while catching fish, quite a contrast to the standing still Great Egret.
A small white heron with a slender black bill and yellow feet. when feeding rushes about, shuffling feet to stir up fish.