While Tim & I were eating our supper at the beach last night we noticed a great egret fishing for a meal. After we finished I decided to see how close I could get to him for some pictures. He didn’t seem to notice me at all, his attention was so focused on fish in the water.
Got it!
The fish put up a good struggle but the egret kept at it until he got the fish in the right position to gulp it down.
It was really over quite fast ~ my eye didn’t see as much as the “sports” setting on the camera was able to capture.
I’m amazed he didn’t drop the fish at some point!
Ready to swallow!
And then it was gone. Followed by a quick sip of water…
Since he was still studying the water I wondered if he was preparing for another strike or if he needed to wait a little to make room for more.
My sister and I saw a great egret fishing at the beach back in 2013, but I didn’t have my camera that morning. This is the first time I got a picture of one with a fish in its mouth! I’m still bubbling with excitement. 🙂
For 32 years the concession stand at our beach was run by Bob & Pat Garcia, but sadly, Pat died this past April. We miss them terribly! Their foot-long hot dogs were inexpensive and very high quality. We always had one with sauerkraut on it. Someone else is running the stand now and we’re doing our best to get used to the change. The hot dogs and sauerkraut are not nearly as good. But last night we sampled a handcrafted hamburger and decided we could live with that and continue our summer tradition, slightly altered.
I haven’t seen my gull friend with the mangled foot this year, so that is making me a little melancholy, as well. But having a chance to photograph the great egret catching his dinner brightened my mood considerably. 🙂
Beautifully captured photographs of the Great Egret capturing its dinner! The sweet story of your tradition of you summer nights at the beach concession stand and continuing journey experiences to have in you memories…
Thank you so much, Jeff! Leave it to Mother Nature to find a way to lift my spirits and to add new memories along the way…
Lovely photos, Barbara – and well done on getting them! That is one very satisfied looking bird!
Thank you, Val! When I finally left he was still eyeing something in the water…
What a wonderful series of photos Barbara!! They are year round visitors to our delta area and always such a pleasure to observe. Beautiful bird and amazing photos.
Thank you, Colleen! We only see them in the summer when they come to breed on a little island in one of our salt ponds. It’s so nice to see you here again ~ I hope all is well. 🙂
Great pictures and description – I’ve seen egrets eat fish several times and I’m always amazed how hard they have to work to get the fish lined up just right so that it can be swallowed.
Sheryl
Thank you, Sheryl! It’s so amazing the dexterity and skills they need to juggle the fish in those jaws in order to feed themselves. Makes me think of trying to use chopsticks to eat a wiggling fish…
These were beautiful, up-close pictures Barbara. Thank you for sending this link to me. I like how you caught him in action and how fast they catch that fish once they see it. I’ve only gotten a Great Egret picture from far away and it was just walking with those long legs, but not fishing. This was a treat to see and I would be excited too. I use the “sports setting” too because I do not know how to use the camera manually and if I did, by the time I’d fiddle with the settings, I’d likely lose the shot(s). So the sports setting works well for me too. In fact, I had the sports setting on for those swan shots and you could see the water droplets splashing when it went for the fish. I hope you see the Captain this year. I know this was back in 2017 but I don’t think you saw him all of 2020 per our conversations about him.
Thank you, Linda! I was so lucky that evening. The sports setting is such a helpful camera feature. I remember years ago when someone suggested using it to me, to help me take better pictures of my grandchildren, who rarely stop moving. Only a few days after this The Captain did show up. 🙂
https://www.ingebrita.net/2017/07/an-old-friend-returns/
I hear they will be opening the concession stand at the beach this summer so maybe I will see him again. You’re right, I never saw him last year. I suspect we will go down there often and if he does show up it will be like old times. 🙂
A friend of mine went to Cape Hatteras in North Carolina – she wanted to visit the big lighthouse there. She sent me an online photo album of shots she had taken and she had really great wave photos. I remarked on them and she said she used the sports setting. So valuable advice to catch those water droplets and young children (I’m more apt to see water droplets as I have no kids or grandkids). 🙂 The concession stand will make it seem like old times. The footlong with sauerkraut sounded good. My mom and I used to go to A&W for coney dogs and curly fries all the time. I’ve not been back since she’s been gone. The seagulls used to hang around hoping for handouts as the carhop brought the food to the car – you’d have to bring it into the car right away.
I never thought of using the sports setting for waves — will have to try that next time. Maybe for the little waterfall in the woods, too…
We don’t have any A&Ws in Connecticut but there was one in Harwich Port on Cape Cod when I was growing up. My father loved to stop there for the root beer. 🙂 What a nice memory to have of good times at A&W with your mom and the determined gulls. 💕
Yes, the waves crashing against rocks – it works well and I’ve never seen a waterfall to try that out, but I was at a dam last Summer and the churning water from the dam where a heron was fishing really showed the action.
We often went if we had been out on errands and it was getting late in the day. We usually only went to a restaurant for lunch, not dinner, as it was not as busy and we’d not have to stand in line (easier on my mom who had orthopedic issues her whole life). I remember we went one time for my mom’s birthday – they opened up for February 1st and she decided she wanted a coney dog and curly fries for her birthday, so off we went. Yes, the gulls were determined to get something … a favorite hangout and that A&W had a metal roof over all the cars, so the gulls would not swam around the entire area, just mostly when your food was delivered. They are nice memories. I’ve not been out to eat in years – I am uneasy due to the Hepatitis outbreak here. Improper food handling mostly … makes me leery.
February 1st does seem early for a summertime venue! Thanks so much fo sharing your sweet memories of good times with your mom. *hugs*