It’s not often that a wild bird permits such a close encounter. The Snowy Egret was drinking, feeding, and bathing at the pond edge. At one point a noisy family appeared and began throwing stones into the water. All the Mallards swam toward the far end of the pond and the egret retreated up into the trees. As soon as the family departed, the ducks and Snowy returned to the beach, resuming business as usual.
Snowy Egrets forage on mostly aquatic animals including frogs, fish, crustaceans, worms, and insects. The vivid yellow feet are often used to probe in the mud for prey.
Running back and forth along the shoreline while hunting, several times plunging in and becoming completely submerged.
During breeding season the Snowy Egret develops beautiful wispy curving plumes on its head and back. A great deal of time was spent smoothing and arranging its feathers.
Slender and elegant, the Snowy appeared smaller than a duck when its neck was tucked in.
Spiraling to dry its feathers.
Good Morning Gloucester 
Beautiful photos ~ was this at Niles Pond?
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Thank you Mary, at Henry’s.
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Hi Kim. You always have beautiful pictures. I think you would be surprised how friendly the snowy egrets are down here at the beacon marine basin. I think they might be use to the busy lifestyle here.
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I am definitely going to check that out Jason, thank you for the tip!!
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Once again I am thrilled and delighted with your beautiful photography. Thank you so much for sharing
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Thank you so very much Nancy for your very kind comment.
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Great shots! I had it wrong with the Black Crowned Night Heron guess.
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Excellent guess. Black-crowned Night Herons have yellow feet and yellow legs, Snowy Egrets have yellow feet and black legs 🙂
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Thanks, Kim. Wonderful photography.
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Thank you Greg for saying so. So sorry I missed the Schooner Challenge last night! I hope you all had a fantastic time.
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I especially like the first picture where the bird has caught a little fish. And it has water droplets at the tip of its beak. What a marvelous shot!
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Thanks Chris. I didn’t know I had that detail until uploading the photos. And I didn’t know there were fish at Henry’s Pond either!
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Incredible, just incredibly beautiful photographs, Kim!
Thank you for posting them.
These shots are amazing.
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Capeannpatio, thank you. I very much appreciate your comment.
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Wow, what a fascinating and up close look at one of our visitors to Cape Ann! Beautiful work, Kim.
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Thanks so much Thomas. We are so fortunate to live in a place with such a wealth of beautiful wild creatures.
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I especially loved the egret photo with tuft up/forward, looking like he was donning a feather hat; I had the urge to call him Charlie. Have no idea where that came from, lol. As usual, wonderful photos, Kim.
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Thank you Terry. Its head feathers are spectacular, I’d never seen them so close!
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Really sharp stuff
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