Friday, April 11, 2014

Field of Egret












A few weeks ago on an overcast day, I stopped at the intersection of Potato Neck 












and Bethel Beach roads to snap a few pictures of these daffodils.












The cheerful yellow flowers were trying so hard to smile amid the grayness of the gloomy day.












As much as I wanted to focus on the flowers, something pulled me in another direction.

I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I was drawn to the field just beyond where I was parked.

Something was amiss.






What's that white thing on the left?





















A lone egret was wandering rather aimlessly through the vast field.

He was none too pleased that I wanted to take his picture either.













As soon as he saw what I was doing, he high-tailed it in the other direction.

(I tried not to be offended.)








































The last I saw, he was headed on foot towards those woods.


I can't say I've ever seen an egret in a field like this before, however it is common to see herons hunting in the ditches along the edges of the road.  Sadly, I recently found a dead heron in the middle of the road where I jog.  At first I thought it was a buzzard, but the long pointed beak gave it away.  On that same jog, which takes me through some very remote areas of the county, I startled a group of seven herons out of the tippy tops of a stand of pine trees.  I can't say that I've ever seen seven herons together before, much less flying.

Flying away from me, to be exact.

I'm starting to get a complex.


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Enjoy the weekend.


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2 comments:

Jamie said...

Blue Herons signify self-determination and self-reliance, if you believe in Native American animal totems. The Iroquois considered it a lucky omen so 7 being a lucky number means you should be extra lucky. A Great White brings luck, peace, respect, harmony and stability. In case you were interested.
I've seen egrets and herons in a yard near Aaron's Beach, but then again that yard is flooded 90% of the time. I imagine they're looking for frogs.

Anonymous said...

This has nothing to do with this article, but I came across your blog after Googling "dew cracks",and finding an article you had written in 2010......dew cracks beneath my toes were very much a part of my childhood in Alabama .