Saturday, January 5, 2013

White Egret

Yesterday I was lucky enough to see a white egret on the dock at the fish market. I was within a couple of feet of him and he didn't fly away.

 At one time he had a broken foot and the fish market folks fed him while he recovered.

 They told me he now rules the dock like the king bird.

I noticed he has a yellow beak with some green at the edge. I researched the various egrets when I got home and found out he's an intermediate egret.

Of course I plan to make a plate with an egret on it. I'd like to capture the patina on the dock and pole and the softness of his feathers.

Egrets by Judith Wright

Once as I travelled through a quiet evening,
I saw a pool, jet-black and mirror-still.
Beyond, the slender paperbarks stood crowding;
each on it's own white image looked its fill.
and nothing moved but thirty egrets wading - 
thirty egrets in a quiet evening.

Once in a lifetime, lovely past believing,
your lucky eyes may light on such a pool.
As though for many years I had been waiting,
I watched in silence, till my heart was full
of clear dark water, and white trees unmoving,
and, whiter yet, those thirty egrets wading.

Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

17 comments:

  1. He certainly is a fine fellow. It looks like he rules the docks.

    We have little white herons (or egrets? not sure) That are common in the salt marshes. Great blue herons are the biggest herons we have here. Every spring they try to take up residence by the large fishpond in our nearby park.

    I'm looking forward to some images on clay.

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  2. Hi Suzi, thanks, at our last residence in California we had great blue heron that nested in a tree nearby us three years in a row, the babies were in the nest for several months and I amazed us all the work it was for the parents taking care of them and the babies had to sit in the next through rain and extremely hot weather. It's amazing we have so many birds survive the elements.

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  3. Can't wait for egret plates etc. These are very nice photos...and I loved the poem.

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  4. They are a wonderful bird to watch. Love the story about him.

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  5. They are a dandy bird. I seem them a lot in the summer as they fly overhead on their way to and from the wetland nesting areas and feeding areas.

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  6. He is a really handsome bird. I also love the wood of the dock, that texture is wonderful. I'm looking forward to seeing how you develop your work.

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  7. Such a pretty bird. That is one of the things I love about Florida, all cool birds.

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  8. Oooh and aaaah. That is a beautiful bird - and an equisite poem. Megathanks on both counts.

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  9. when I lived on a dairy farm we had 'cattle egrets' follow the cows around and gobble up the insects they disturbed. Looking forward to seeing your egret inspired piece.

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  10. Great pictures and he is beautiful.

    Hugs

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  11. Looking at your photographs made me think of how wonderful to be able to see these birds in their own habitat and enjoy some warmth after constant rain since April.

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  12. Linda, that is one handsome bird. I too look forward to seeing your egret inspired plate.

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  13. He is a magnificent! I love birds.
    And weathered wood - that decking is lovely.
    Looking forward to your egret plate :)

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  14. Hi Barbara, thanks, I really wanted to reach out and touch him, but I knew it would freak him out.

    Hi Elaine, thanks, so wonderful if even one creatures is saved by a human.

    Hi Ms. Sparrow, thanks, they are so graceful flying by with their legs and neck outstretched.

    Hi Michele, thanks, there are so many birds here, it is amazing to see them all up close like we do.

    Hi Elephant's Child, thanks, isn't he a beauty and I just knew there must be a poem about these birds and discovered this one.

    Hi Anna, thanks, in California we had the cattle egrets too, here I see them as well.

    Hi Elna, thanks, somehow I knew you'd like a white bird. Ha.

    Hi Carole, thanks, we are truly lucky here with the weather, been in the 70s, Florida is great for that reason.

    Hi Rian, thanks, I better get busy with the plates. Ha.

    Hi Vicki, thanks, I hope I can capture the patina of the wood and the softness of the feathers.

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  15. Hi Elaine, thanks, I will post later this week about a book I just found in the library coincidentally about achieving the look of weathered wood.

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  16. GOrgeous photos!! What a treat, to be so close. I took my children to the Audubon meeting and there were two egrets = a great and a snowy who graced us with their presence. It looked like they were parading for us! The catwalk was the river and the posts in it!! Thanks again

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  17. Hi Nicky, thanks, I am so lucky to be so close, now each time I go to the fish market I see them. To see them with your children must be a real treat. I must see if there is an audubon meeting or group around here I am sure I would learn a lot from the group. thanks again.

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