Greetings and welcome to WBW 4.
Todays WBW is brought to you by the Eastern Reef Egret (Dark Morph). The other morph of this bird is your classic white egret. I found this rather uniform, but none the less handsome, bird picking around in the water just off shore from a patch of mangroves near Cape Tribulation. What I like about this bird is that in one of the pictures it is almost perfect example of the pose shown in my most thumbed field guide! If only birds always did that.
This bird would dash about in the water for a few minutes and seemed to be catching tiny crustaceans of some sort, which it would swallow as soon as its beak hit the water. It would them walk to the nearest rock and just sit about for a while. I did rather hope that it would get something rather larger, but it did not.
So here it is, a rather smart study in grey, with just hint of a pale neck thrown in for good measure.
To add you link to WBW just click the link button below and follow the prompts. Please link back to this blog - you can find a badge on the WBW tab above.
Cheers - Stewart M
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I've never heard of this species of egret, much less seen one. Love the coloration! Stark contrast to the white egrets I'm accustomed to.
ReplyDeletehe's very handsome in his slate grey!
ReplyDeleteEgrets are such cool birds, great shots! I'm still unable to post my link :( I hope I figure it out one day I miss participating. http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/08/wild-bird-wednesday.html
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, I have not seen this bird before.
ReplyDeleteThere are no slate colored Egrets in our neck of the woods, so this is a real treat. I learned something new from you today, which is my goal everyday ... thank you :)
ReplyDeleteAndrea @ From the Sol
an Egret I´ve never seen. Looks great.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting. :)
Reminds me a lot of great blue herons. I've never heard of this variety of egret so what a treat to see one.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me of my Western Reef Heron (white) pictures from Egypt, same bird different colour.
ReplyDeletethis egret is very different then the ones i chase.
ReplyDeletehe is so pretty and you photographed him beautifully!!
Nice photos of the Eastern Reef Egret. I have only once seen them in this area and that was the white morph form.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen such a 'dark' egret. Now, I'm totally jealous!!!
ReplyDeleteNorthern Shoveler & Ducklings
Your egret looks kinda' like the green heron we have in Florida. He's very beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem odd to see a dark colored Egret. It looks more like our Little Blue Heron. Either way it is a gorgeous bird and I love the photos, Stewart. Thanks for sharing your WBW and for hosting. Hope the rest of your week is a good one.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of a cool looking bird! Happy WBW!
ReplyDeleteI've not seen the Eastern Reef Egret before, so great to see your photographs Stewart; nice captures.
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ReplyDeleteYou've got some great images here. Well done, Stewart. I sure do appreciate the skill it takes to get shots like this.
ReplyDeleteGreat captures! I love the study in gray.
ReplyDeleteHi, I am new to your blog, but I think I shall frequent more often here. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting the meme!
We have a very similar species in India and we call it the Western Reef Egret (!) (Egretta gularis). It's so similar to the bird you have shown in this post, that I can't tell the difference. I don't know if there is any difference apart from the distribution ranges.
Great pictures - I've never seen that bird before.
ReplyDeleteHanne Bente
Hi Stewart thanks for continuing with this meme. I haven't been here for months as I thought there were no birds in Tanzania. I was mistaken and will continue to post them here. We have the slaty egret in Africa, very similar to your Eastern reef egret. Have a good day, Jo
ReplyDeleteDefinitely none of these in Cornwall where I am on holiday, but it would be nice if one paid a surprise visit.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day! :)
Nice photos of this bird, which I had to go to Wikipedia to find and understand which one it was. :)
ReplyDeleteWe don't have those in Sweden. I'm just familar with the grey heron.
Have a nice day!
Greetings Pia
Great photos! This is new for me, I haven't heard about this species of egret before!
ReplyDeleteParticipating late from my summerhouse, not stabil internet!
Hi again, Stewart!
ReplyDeleteHow sweet of you to put in an translator for me (and others)!
It will help, sometimes its hard to find the names (quickly) for the birds for instance, in my own language.
Have a nice day and thanks again!
Best regards
Pia
I like those piercing eyes. Nice pics!
ReplyDeleteGreat images Stewart!
ReplyDeleteI was going to post the third of my birds from Burleigh Heads this week (Eastern Reef Egret - Grey morph)!!! Instead I chose to post a little bird I discovered on Sunday.
Great picture, I have never seen one of these before.
ReplyDeleteThe bird looks to be so intent upon what he`s doing,thank-you for sharing him with us,have a great weekend!phyllis in USA in Pa
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ReplyDeleteIsso é tão bonito!
Um lindo dia, com muito sol, saúde e paz!!...
Beijinhos do Brasil.
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When I think of Egrets, most often I think white in colour. What a glorious looking species this is Stewart and you got some great captures. Cheers~
ReplyDeleteAnother new bird to me. Great photos of this beautiful bird!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of this bird, that I have never seen before! Thanks for hosting:)
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting us on "Les Fous du Cap" and to have left a few words. We are fortunate to have in France a great variety of gulls. Come, we will show you the ;-)
ReplyDeleteCéline & Philippe