The Great Egret - Amy L Peterson

During the first week in September 2009, a giant white bird the size of a great blue heron appeared on our lake. I grabbed my camera, drove a quarter of a mile to the neighborhood apartment complex on the north side of the lake, and snapped a few lousy photos as the bird flew off to the south side of the lake. Undaunted, I drove to the west side of the lake, crept up on the bird, took some more lousy photos, and watched as it flew back where I’d first seen it. I drove back to the first place, crept up on it slowly, took a few more lousy photos and went home.

Two days later, I got luckier. It was a Saturday, late morning. I had plenty of daylight and this time I used the cover of an apartment building to sneak up one of the big, white birds. I snapped some photos of it fishing and nabbing a bass.

As I downloaded my photographs, I wondered about the name given the Great Egret. A web site called Nature Works says this bird is also known as the American Egret, the Common Egret, the Large Egret, the White Egret, the Great White Egret and the Great White Heron. At enature.com I read: Formerly known as the “American Egret,” “Common Egret,” “Large Egret,” “White Egret,” “Great White Egret,” and “Great White Heron,” this bird’s official name in North America is now Great Egret.

Now there’s a bird with an identify problem.

When fall came in 2009 the single egret took off for the winter. I looked for the big white bird during the spring of 2010 but it did not return. I had rather forgotten about the big white birds when in late August, Mark said that over 100 great egrets were gathering at a marsh about 45 minutes north of us. I couldn’t let this opportunity go un-photographed, and made two trips to photograph these big birds. On my first trip, I crept along some cattail clumps to photograph this group of birds. I fell into the marsh twice and went home disappointed with my photos and smelling like marsh muck.

DSC_8227adj — Great egrets and a few blue herons, Maple River Marsh.

I returned the next day and walked down a trail to a hunting blind. In a tree about a hundred yards away were several great egrets, including these two.

Two great egrets gesturing for position.

One finally got fed up and left.

This one flew right over my head.

DSC_8171adj — Great egret flying right overhead.

About a week later, I looked out onto our lake and noticed that a group of about 20 great egrets had landed in some tall trees on the other side of our lake. We’ve lived on our lake for 16 years and never had a flock of these birds hanging around our lake. Each evening for the next three weeks, the egrets landed in the trees.

DSC_8182adj — Great egrets flying to trees on my lake.

Almost as soon as they all settled down, one by one, they launched from the tree . . .

DSC_8277adj — Great egret launched into the air.

. . . and, after twisting and turning . . .

DSC_8287adj — Great egret approaching the lake.

. . . they landed in a shallow spot on our lake and fished.

Come sunset, they either flew one by one back to the treetops on our lake, or they’d fly as a group to another nearby pond.

DSC_8310adj — Great egrets flying to a pond near my lake.

In all, 25 to 50 great egrets appeared at our lake each evening for three weeks, from the end of August until just a few days ago. Many evenings I sat down by the water just to watch them. And to wonder what brought them here this year.

When heavy rains came in on Friday and Saturday, the egrets seemed to disappear. I had feared they had begun their long journey south. But this evening they reappeared, one by one, twisting and turning, and landing in the trees on the other side of our lake.

Be safe, you big, beautiful birds. I hope to see you tomorrow night, and again next year.