Great White

Meet Ardea alba – the Great Egret.  This rare visitor actually paid us a call the other day.  They never stick around, so they must be passing-thru. 

An entirely white bird - they are a tall wading species with long black legs and a yellow-orange, dagger-like bill. These birds are found in both salt water and fresh water habitats and build their stick nest high in trees.  They live in colonies and prefer island-living so as to be safe from predators like raccoons.  This bird doesn’t nest here as I believe we are pushing the furthest extent of their breeding range.  Besides, we have no islands.  Great egrets can be found breeding on a few islands in the lower waters of Green Bay.  You can spot them crossing the Leo Frigo Bridge at the harbor entrance.

This bird spent the afternoon dining on whatever it could catch in the big pond just south of Silver Creek.  Standing still for a period of time it would suddenly thrust its bill into the shallows.  One less frog in the mix so it seems.