Great Egret feeding chick in nest. Adult is a large wader, all white body, black legs, bright yellow and insanely sharp bill. Seen feeding a youngling, its' plumage still coming in, not quite covering all the leading edge of its wittle baby wings yet. The green leathery skin can be seen here at bottom. Birds in a thickly wooded area, actually well away from human contact, long lenses are best here.
Great Egret with two chicks in nest. Adult is a large wader, all white body, black legs, bright yellow and insanely sharp bill. Long breeding plumage seen on the adult, short punk-rock looks on the chicks, so cute! These all white waders have black legs and bright yellow, very sharp bills, with bright yellow eyes. This shot was taken just before sundown one evening this spring, the whole scene is aglow with that awesome golden light effect. Birds in a thickly wooded area, actually well away from human contact, long lenses are best here.
Roseate Spoonbill family, two adults, two chicks in nest at sundown. Wonderful golden hour glow casting that extra tint throughout the entire image. Spoonbills are medium to large bodied waders, long pinkish legs, bright pink to red feathers, sides and backs, whiter hues under and on neck. Distinctive long flat bill ending in trademark ladle shape spoonbill feature. Chicks have the spoonbill shape started, but the length of the whole bill is very short when young.
Sandhill Cranes, backs to camera, seen here shopping for snacks in a pasture area with junior tagging along for hunting lessons. This family group of two adults and one chick has been joined by the ever-present cattle egret, known for its great forage skills as well. Sandhill Cranes are tall birds, long legs and long necks. Gray to beige bodies, paler neck, distinctive red cap on head behind the eyes, long sharp beak, very stabby. Junior bird here is all rusty - reddish and fuzzy looking, very tiny compared to mom and dad. Tiny even compared to the much smaller cattle egret. This egret is all white, yellow legs, medium shorter bill, sharp and stabby in it's own right. The three Sandhill Cranes are all looking left of camera, while the cattle egret is checking to the right. The adults here are in bookend formation, framing the juvenile and egret in between them.
Entries for Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme of #AdulsWithChicks, and capture of an Adult with its young, the Alt Theme is #Yellow, and bird with Yellow in its plumage.
- Great Egrets
- Roseate Spoonbills
- Sandhill Cranes
#birds #ECK
#photography #ukbirding #BirdLife
#westcoastkin #nature #florida
