Every spring I look forward to the return of the elegant Great Egrets (Ardea alba) to our area. Unlike Great Blue Herons, which are with us throughout the winter, the egrets migrate south and return only in mid-spring when the weather has warmed up a bit.
One of the highlight of egrets at this time of the year is their beautiful breeding plumage and the green lores (the area between the bill and eye). When I spotted an egret grooming itself in the early morning, I was able to capture a sense of the long additional plumes that it was sporting.
Unlike Great Blue Herons, which patiently wait for a big catch, this Great Egret at Huntley Meadows Park seemed content with a series of small bites. I think that it is a little fish, but I am not entirely certain what the egret is consuming as a snack.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
The first shot is a true treasure
Thanks, Victor.
I’d be thrilled if I were ever fortunate to be close enough to a heron in that pose to take a picture of it. I’ve found human subjects also often look best when their stance is asymmetric and a bit off balance.
Yes, the egret’s stance in that first photograph is particularly dynamic.
Thanks, Steve. I took a number of shots of the egret and this pose grabbed my attention in a way that the standing pose simply didn’t.
Stunning egrets – the breeding plumage is so beautiful!
I love that first shot for the asymmetry of the egret’s pose and the detailing in those long feathers. The second shot is a strong portrait too.
Love the first one. Beautiful pose.
Thanks. That shot is a favorite of mine too.
You’re so lucky to have them visit your area.
That first shot should be framed.
Thanks, Allen. I live in a pretty awesome area for wildlife. In addition to having lots of native species, we get a lot of others that migrate through the area. I wondered if viewers would like the first shot as much as I did and the reactions I have received so far suggest they do.
That first image really is a stunning portrait!!!
❤️