Saturday 30 July 2011

On the door step! Little Egret

We had a ride to the Yorkshire Dales yesterday and went up on the moor behind Masham just beyond Louthwaite Reservoir it was a lovely day, a bit breezy but we saw Peregrine, Wheatear, Meadow Pipits, Red Grouse, Kestrel, usual stalwarts of the moors. No photographs though.

Get home having my tea and someone comes to the door to say that there is a Little Egret on the weir on the River Derwent just 200 - 300 metres from home. I rushed my tea and got out to get relatively close whilst the Egret was on the weir, under trees this gave a nice black background against the white of the bird. It then flew in a tree which is a first for me and offered some different shots.

It just goes to show you can travel 130 miles only to find the best (only) shots of the day on the doorstep.





6 comments:

John said...

Lovely shots Mike, Love the last one, an unusual picture to have of a Little Egret!
J
Follow me at HEDGELAND TALES

Roy said...

Very professional and stunning shots Mike.

JRandSue said...

I love it,when you find a Little Egret in a Tree.
Always great to Digiscope,your images captures this,really well.
Superb shots Mike.
John.

Mike Randall Bird Photography said...

Thanks very much John, Roy & John, much appreciated.

Robyn Kadis said...

We get Little Egrets here in South Africa that look just like these except that ours only have yellow feet. The legs are black. Strange that yours have yellow legs. What is the species name, do you know?

Mike Randall Bird Photography said...

Hi Robyn, our Little Egrets are the same with black legs and yellow feet. This can particularly be seen in the last shot. I can only surmise that its a juvenille bird as regards the leg colouring. It was certainly a surprise to see this bird on the river near our cottage leaving me to further think this was a young bird.
Regards
Mike