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116 images Created 19 Nov 2015

Egrets

When my father first showed me the salt marsh to which he'd retired, I was drawn immediately to the stark white of the tall egrets quietly waiting for lunch to flow by on a dropping or rising tide. They flashed and preened their white feathers against dark oak leaves while roosting during the high tide. For spring mating season, I learned, they grow wonderfully elaborate tail feathers that almost led to their extinction more than a century back, when fashionable women coveted those feathers for hats and boas. My father taught me to quickly distinguish young little blue herons from smaller snowy egrets by the egrets' yellow "boots." Young little blue herons, which begin their lives as white, do not have the boots. Egrets may have been my most common photographic subject for two decades. And I must admit I miss them (aside from an occasional sighting of a common egret) here in the High Country.
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  • A white egret perches on its nest on an island in the Ibis Pond at Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge.
    0411_1723-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great egret perches on its nest on an island in the Ibis Pond at Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge.
    0411_0787-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A pair of white egrets meet and share nesting material in a willow on an island in the Ibis Pond at Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge.
    0411_1915-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A white egret tends its nest on an island in the Ibis Pond at Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge.
    0411_1755-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret wades along the shore of the May River at low tide near Bluffton, SC.
    D60_30570-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A snowy egret stalks the mud of the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0509_0330-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great white egret watches the sun rise over the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0807_0183-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A white egret fishes along the edge of the marsh of the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0809_0658-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret fishes from a spot along a marsh of May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0909_0722-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret fishes from a spot along a marsh of May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0909_0727-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret fishes from a spot along a marsh of May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0909_0734-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret fishes from a spot along a marsh of May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0909_0739-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret - rare in the river during nesting season - fishes in a tidal creek in a marsh of the May River.
    0610_0041-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret - rare in the river during nesting season - fishes in a tidal creek in a marsh of the May River.
    0610_0052-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret - rare in the river during nesting season - fishes in a tidal creek in a marsh of the May River.
    0610_0064-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret - rare in the river during nesting season - fishes in a tidal creek in a marsh of the May River.
    0610_0074-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret - rare in the river during nesting season - fishes in a tidal creek in a marsh of the May River.
    0610_0076-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret wades along the shoreline.
    D60_30605-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret holds in its beak a small shrimp caught in the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    D60_31146-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egret flies from May River marsh in early fall.
    1005_824-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great blue heron and white egret fish the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0807_0635-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egret on Sand Bar
    0708_1533-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret fishes high in the marsh of the May River near Bluffton, S.C.
    0709_0134-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret fishes high in the marsh of the May River near Bluffton, S.C.
    0709_0141-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret fishes high in the marsh of the May River near Bluffton, S.C.
    0709_0155-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret fishes high in the marsh of the May River near Bluffton, S.C.
    0709_0157-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A snowy egret stares at the camera from his perch on a snage in the marshes of the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    406_1466-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great white egret perches on a dead limb.
    0807_0843-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great white egret perches on a recently fallen pine limb along the shore of a May River marsh.
    0910_0499-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A comon egret roosts in a pine tree along a forested shoreline of the May River at high tide.
    0811_0268-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great white egret takes off from a pine tree.
    0807_1050-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egrets in oak trees
    1108_0196-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egrets gather in a moss-draped live oak tree along the May River.
    1110_0544-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egret preens on low oak limb along slough.
    0708_1506-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great egret preens in among Spanish moss on a live oak near a small creek of the May River.
    0709_0376-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A common egret, perches in an old pine on the shore of the May River.
    0611_1172-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egrets gather and fish in the morning light along the edge of a marsh in the May River.
    1110_0330-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • The sun ball sets behind power lines and traffic, as viewed at Pinckney Island.White egrets fish in the shallow flats at high tide in a May River marsh.
    0411_1179-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Bluffton, S.C.: A white egret hangs around a lagoon near the 1st hole of Berkeley Hall's South Course on Thursday 9/29. Photograph ©2005 Greg Smith
    905_1750-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A white egret flies from atop a cedar along the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0709_0786-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A white egret stands against a white sky along the May River, near Bluffton, SC.
    0807_0743-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A white egret preens atop a dead tree along the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    1006_0322-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egrets roosts in a dead pine tree along the May River marsh near Bluffton, SC.
    0709_0463-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egrets roost in a dead pine tree along the May River marsh near Bluffton, SC.
    0709_0468-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egrets roosts in a dead pine tree along the May River marsh near Bluffton, SC.
    0709_0477-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egrets roosts in a dead pine tree along the May River marsh near Bluffton, SC.
    0709_0500-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret perches in the fern-covered limbs of a large, moss-draped live oak along the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0809_0153-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egrets  perch in a dead tree at t high tide along the May River, near Bluffton, SC.
    0809_0773-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egrets  perch in a dead tree at t high tide along the May River, near Bluffton, SC.
    0809_0782-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret perches and preens in a dead pine tree along Eagle Cove of the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0809_0267-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret perches and preens in a moss-draped live oak tree along the May River near Bluffton, SC
    0809_0957-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret perches and preens in a moss-draped live oak tree along the May River near Bluffton, SC
    0809_0973-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret perches in the fern-covered limbs of a large, moss-draped live oak along the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0809_0171-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Two egrets preen among the fern-covered limbs of a large, moss-draped live oak along the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0809_0187-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Two egrets preen among the fern-covered limbs of a large, moss-draped live oak along the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0809_0198-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A snowy egret fishes in the low tide of the May River.
    1010_0154-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A snowy egret fishes in the low tide of the May River.
    1010_0158-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A snowy egret fishes in the low tide of the May River.
    1010_0177-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A snowy egret fishes in the low tide of the May River.
    1010_0187-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A snowy egret fishes in the low tide of the May River.
    1010_0233-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • 1010_0415-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret stretches toward the sky deep within a marsh of the May River.
    1010_0421-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great egret peeks through the fall marsh of the May River.
    1010_0431-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great egret peeks above the fall marsh of the May River.
    1010_0647-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A snowy egret fishes amid oysters on a mud bank in the morning light along a marsh edge in the May River.
    1110_0711-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A snowy egret fishes amid oysters on a mud bank in the morning light along a marsh edge in the May River.
    1110_0729-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A snowy egret fishes amid oysters on a mud bank in the morning light along a marsh edge in the May River.
    1110_0730-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A snowy egret surveys the hundreds of nests among willows in the Ibis Pond at Pinckney Island.
    0411_0854-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • American egrets gather their nests among willows on an island in the Ibis Pond at Pinckney Island.
    0411_0900-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A cattle egret establishes its nesting site among willows on the Ibis Pond at Pinckney Island.
    0511_0429-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Ponies and cattle egrets feed and groom at Assateague Island National Park.
    0609_0761-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great egret, backlit in the morning sun, fishes along the muddy edges of the May River at low tide.
    1110_0926-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Egrets fish the puddles and channels of a large bar in the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0709_1064-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • White egrets fish in the shallow flats at high tide in a May River marsh.White egrets fish and stake out territory in shallow, tidal pools on a large sand bar in the May River, at low tide on Easter morning.
    0411_1608-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • White egrets fish in the shallow flats at high tide in a May River marsh.White egrets fish and stake out territory in shallow, tidal pools on a large sand bar in the May River, at low tide on Easter morning.
    0411_1620-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • White egrets quarrel over a fishing hole on the shallow flats at low tide in a May River marsh.
    0411_1626-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • White egrets fish in the shallow flats at high tide in a May River marsh.White egrets fish and stake out territory in shallow, tidal pools on a large sand bar in the May River, at low tide on Easter morning.
    0411_1627-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Great egrets scuffle over a fishing spot among tidal pools left at low tide on a May River sand bar. Hunted nearly to extinction for their feathers in the late 19th Century, egrets are now protected with other wading birds and have made a strong comeback, especially in the May River, where they are common year-round.
    0411_1629-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • 1107_0626-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret flies from and over the marsh along the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0909_0683-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret fies over the upper reaches of the May River near Bluffton, SC.
    0909_1246-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • An egret flies from a marsh of the May River.
    1009_0036-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great egret flies from the fall marsh in the May River.
    1010_0417-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great egret flies from the fall marsh in the May River.
    1010_0418-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A common egret flies from its perch among other egrets in the top of a live oak tree along the May River.
    1011_0104-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A common egret flies from its fishing spot along the May River.
    0711_0530-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A common egret flies from its fishing spot along the May River.
    0711_0535-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great egret flies between fishing spots at low tide along the May River.
    0712_0942-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great egret flies from his spot in a marsh of the May River.
    0611_0421-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great egret flies from his spot in a marsh of the May River.
    0611_0422-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A great egret flies from his spot in a marsh of the May River.
    0611_0423-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A young snowy egrets perches on dead stalks trapped in the marsh grass along the May River.
    0711_0568-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Great white egrets and snow egrets feed at low tide in the May River.
    0813_0817-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Snowy egrets gather and fish in the shallows along a forested shoreline of the May River at high tide.Snowy egrets gather and fish with white ibises in the shallows along a forested shoreline of the May River at high tide.
    0811_0315-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • Snowy egrets gather and fish in the shallows along a forested shoreline of the May River at high tide.Snowy egrets gather and fish in the shallows along a forested shoreline of the May River at high tide.
    0811_0055-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A common egret fishes along the edge of a marsh in the  May River.
    1111_0112-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A common egret fishes along the edge of a marsh in the  May River.
    1111_0118-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A common egret fishes along the edge of a marsh in the  May River.
    1111_0119-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A juvenile great egret stands beside a cypress tree on an island in Ibis Pond.
    0712_0290-BaseRez1115.jpg
  • A common egret prowls marshy shoreline on a rising tide in the May River.
    1112_0129-BaseRez1115.jpg
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