Snowy Egret’s Galoshes

The easiest way to identify a Snowy Egret is to spot his Yellow Galoshes. This image from January 2020 in Naples, Florida shows the Snowy stepping from rock to rock while looking for some fresh fish to catch and eat.

A fast shutter speed (1/1600 second) creates an image with clarity in the feathers and the ripples of the creek while stopping the action of the Snowy Egret with his yellow galoshes.

While not very skittish, the snowy egrets generally take a step away from you when you approach. It’s best to give them space and not cause them stress in the wild.

Jumping the Waves

Humans of all shapes and sizes flock to the beach on a hot summer’s day, saunter to the water’s edge and…jump the waves! The water feels so good. I think it’s fun to find animals doing the same things people like to do. So I had fun photographing this Snowy Egret in the air, jumping the waves.

Snowy Egret jumps the wave while fishing on the beach in Naples, Florida.

This image also gives us a good look at the crashing surf, frozen in time, and the snowy egret’s wings outstretched. He/she is such a graceful bird!

Snowy Egret Ballet

Silently watching a rookery island at sunset, I observed flocks of ibis, flocks of pelicans and flocks of snowy egret gently glide along the water to land on the island and take refuge for the night. One bird in flight is a graceful wonder to watch, but a flock of one species in flight together is a veritable ballet.

Incoming! A flock of snowy egrets: notice their black legs and yellow feet.

Seconds later, the flock extended their wings and feet to land on the rookery island. Zoom in to get a closer look!

If you look carefully, you can find several pelicans and cormorants already nestled in the tree branches.