Nest Building is a photograph by TN Fairey which was uploaded on April 28th, 2013.
Nest Building
Taken at the rookery High Island Texas. During the breeding season there are literally thousands of birds come to nest in the rookery. ... more
by TN Fairey
Title
Nest Building
Artist
TN Fairey
Medium
Photograph - Photographs
Description
Taken at the rookery High Island Texas. During the breeding season there are literally thousands of birds come to nest in the rookery.
High Islands is world known as a stopping point for migrating birds.
This long-legged, S-necked white bird is found throughout the Americas and around much of the world. It is typically the largest white egret occurring anywhere in its range (only the white-colored form of the great blue heron is larger).
Great egrets are found near water, salt or fresh, and feed in wetlands, streams, ponds, tidal flats, and other areas. They snare prey by walking slowly or standing still for long periods, waiting for an animal to come within range of their long necks and blade-like bills. The deathblow is delivered with a quick thrust of the sharp bill, and the prey is swallowed whole. Fish are a dietary staple, but great egrets use similar techniques to eat amphibians, reptiles, mice, and other small animals.
These birds nest in trees, near water and gather in groups called colonies, which may include other heron or egret species. They are monogamous, and both parents incubate their three to four eggs. Young egrets are aggressive towards one another in the nest, and stronger siblings often kill their weaker kin so that not all survive to fledge in two to three weeks.
The great egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society and represents a conservation success story. The snowy white bird's beautiful plumage made it far too popular in 19th-century North America. Great egrets were decimated by plume hunters who supplied purveyors of the latest ladies' fashions. Their populations plunged by some 95 percent. Today the outlook is much brighter. The birds have enjoyed legal protection over the last century, and their numbers have increased substantially
FEATURED
'Women Photographer's One a Day' 04/30/2013
'Egrets 2-day' 05/02/2013
'Nature, Wildlife, Sunsets, and Sunrises' 05/12/2013
Feathers 05/19/2013
'Anything Wild' 07/19/2013
Uploaded
April 28th, 2013
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Comments (49)
Kathy Baccari
What a wonderful capture of the interaction between these two adults Tessa. You got the white in the birds spot on. Excellent. F/V :)
TN Fairey replied:
Thank you so much for your kind comment f.v Kathy! Much appreciated! This was my first visit to High Island and certainly will not be my last!
Bianca Nadeau
Congrats on your 2nd place finish in the "Spring 2013" contest Tessa! Beautiful work :-)
Tessa Fairey
Ella thank you so much for the feature in 'Nature, Wildlife, Sunsets, and Sunrises' Much appreciated!
Randy Rosenberger
Tessa, your photographic genius is surely present in this awesome capture and superlative presentation of these lovely egrets! It is just awe inspiring to see such beauty and wonder of mother nature at work! Thanks so very much, for sharing your eye for beauty and your skillful and masterful techniques of presenting this natural beauty to inspire us all! Love this shot! fave and vote
TN Fairey replied:
Thank you so much for your very kind comment v/f Randy! Much appreciated as always!