Great Egrets at Echo Veterans Memorial Park in Burlington Wisconsin on August 26, 2022

I made a run down to Echo Veterans Memorial Park in Burlington to see if there were any Great Egrets around. They are typically present near the dam this time of year or out on the lake. There were about 30 present when I arrived. They kept to the south end of the dam or out on the lake in trees most of the time I was there. They were not as active as I would have liked but with a few fishermen around the area or visitors to the park walking around the birds seems skittish for the most part. A couple of times the Great Egrets came over to the north side fishing for food but their stay was short lived. Still a great visit to see these beautiful birds hanging out in nice numbers near the dam. The morning started out cloudy giving way to some sun on and off while I was there. Actually I had to go to my car to get a coat as it was too cold with a breeze off the lake there for just a tee shirt. Images were taken on August 26, 2022.

The Great Egret coming in for a landing at the dam…

The elegant Great Egret…

Typically what I saw when I was there…

Circling near the dam…

Waiting for a fish to be seen…

Below the dam just looking pretty…

Some serious fishing being done here, waiting for a fish to be seen…

Some preening…

Getting those feathers in place…

A photo down the lake at one of the trees they perch in…

 

Great Egret at Humboldt Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on April 25, 2021

Stopping at Humboldt Park was a good choice today with a Great Egret present. It put on a beautiful show for the time I was there trying to get something to eat. Of the 4 times I watched it go for I assume fish it failed and eventually left the park out of sight. The morning started out cold and then the sun finally warmed things up with sunny skies, temps were around 32 degrees.

The Great Egret…near the island…

Perched here, looking and waiting for something to eat…showing its beautiful plumes…

The Great Egret goes for something to eat…

Chasing something…

That catch failed and the egret heads back to the perch…

Flies to anther spot…

Another try and fails to get something to eat from what I think…

Perched pretty…

And to another location at the pond…

On the island waiting for something to come by…

Great Egret at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on September 15, 2020

One of my birding stops today produced a surprise Great Egret. Greenfield Park was one stop on the way home, just in case. I guess today was that day. The bird was off an island feeding when I arrived. On a couple of occasions it fed along a shore until pedestrians came along on bike or foot not realizing the bird was there and the bird flushed. Still one Green Heron present, just saw it fly by when I was there. It was a beautiful day with some sun, a nice breeze, actually had a sweatshirt today. Images were taken on September 15, 2020.

Great Egret moving through the water very slow, hunting for something to eat…

A fish!

In flight after a biker came by…

Getting a fish!

Another fish…

New catch…

I think this is the kill….squish!

Almost down…

A little bite!

Fish in the throat going down…

Great Egrets at Echo Park in Burlington Wisconsin on July 21, 2020

I stopped out at Echo Park in Burlington to see if any Great Egrets were present. Surprisingly there were 8 present, they were spread out, some perched in trees on the lake, a few at the dam, some in tree tops near the dam. At the dam a couple of the Great Egrets were fishing hard for fish to eat and they did well while I was there. It was a very pleasant morning with partly cloudy skies, low winds, and temps around 75 early. Images were taken on July 21, 2020.

Great Egret with a fish…

Stealth mode here waiting for a fish to come by…

Nice catch!

At the dam…

Typically head first!

Beautiful bird!

Shaken off…

Shaken off…

Just being a Great Egret here…

Great Egret in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on August 12, 2018

Doing some birding in Milwaukee County along the Menominee River Parkway, I came across a Great Egret in a small pond. The adult Great Egret did some hunting for food, caught some food, ate food and did some preening too. It ate crayfish, minnows and some larger fish. A beautiful bird! It was a warm morning out, little wind and mostly sunny. Images were taken on August 12, 2018.

The Great Egret coming in for a landing…

The slow down…

It is there…

Some of the beauty of the Great Egret…

It catches a minnow size fish…

Preening with a dragonfly on its back…

Sees a new spot to check out for food…

Going for something to eat…

Catches a crayfish and holds it….a dragonfly on its back…

Flips the crayfish…

Trying to get a better grip…

Drops it into the water…

Grabs it out of the water…

Brings it up…

Trys to hold it steady…

gives it a flip and…

In it goes with the dragonfly still on its back…

Looking and listening for the next food…

Another shot of the Great Egrets free rider, the dragonfly…

Another catch of a small fish…

Preening in the tree…straightening all those feathers…

Perched pretty…

A landing…

Concentration….right before the catch…

The reflection in the early morning sun…

The catch!

Yet another little fish to eat…

Then a crayfish…

A juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron lands close by…

The closeup of the Black-crowned Night-Heron…

Great Egrets at Humboldt Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on April 19, 2018

One of my birding stops today was at Humboldt Park in Milwaukee. There have been a couple of Great Egrets hanging around there and they were still present today. They did a little fishing but for the most part remained perched in some trees on one of the islands there. A nice stop over for them there as they won’t be around long. Along with the Great Egrets, a few Red-breasted Mergansers, Blue-winged Teal and Mallards were present. A nicer day than what we have had in the past with some sun and temps near 40 degrees. Images were taken on April 19, 2018.

The beauty of two Great Egrets looking for a place to perch…

Fishing

More fishing…

A flyby…

Perched on an island…

Focused on the next meal…

Great Egrets at Echo Park in Burlington Wisconsin on September 29, 2016

I made a couple of stops out at Echo Park in Burlington Wisconsin as some Great Egrets were being reported there at the dam. Nice numbers of 10-15 were present when I was there. I think numbers are down from a few days ago. These birds put on an amazing show while I was there! They all seemed to be fishing while I was present but only a few fish were actually caught. Some of the other things I enjoyed watching was the preening, some interaction when a fish was caught or sometimes just relaxing. It is a sight to see as these amazing birds will soon be heading south. Weather conditions were overcast skies for the most part with some wind and cool fall like temps. Images were taken on September 28-29, 2016.

A fluffed up!

All fluffed up!

Great Egret

Binomial name: Ardea alba

Category: Bittern, Herons, and Allies

Size: 39” long, 51” wing span

Weight: 1.9 lb

Hanging out

Hanging out

Moving around above the dam

Moving around above the dam

The beauty!

Incoming

Coming in for a landing

The landing

The stop

The stop

The catch!

The catch!

Takes the catch away to avoid the other egrets trying to take it away

Takes the catch away to avoid the other egrets trying to take it

Above the dam it takes the catch

Above the dam it takes the catch

Incoming

The landing

The stop

The stop

Just coming through

Just coming through

From the top of the dam down

From the top of the dam down

Just beauty

Just beauty

Fishing

Fishing

A pair on top of the dam

A pair on top of the dam

Preening

Preening

Rest

Resting

More preening

More preening

More preening

More preening

Checking things out

Checking things out

The itch

The itch

Coming through

Coming through

Another catch and to the top of the dam

Another catch and to the top of the dam

A place to eat

Wondering where to go now

Just going to go somewhere

Just coming through gang!

Stretching

Stretching

Fishing

Fishing

Fishing

Fishing

Fishing

Fishing

More fishing

More fishing

Moving around

Moving around

The flight

The flight

Fishing

Fishing

Fishing

Fishing

Fishing

Fishing

Fishing

Another catch

Another catch

Squeeze the fish

The close-up

The close-up

To the top of the dam, less egrets to fight off for the catch

To the top of the dam, less egrets to fight off for the catch

Believe it or not, it catches this fish and eats it

Believe it or not, it catches this fish and eats it

A little preening above the dam

A little preening above the dam

Walking the dam

Walking the dam

Walking the dam

Walking the dam

Turns around, walks the other way

Turns around, walks the other way

A little more preening

A little more preening

Resting

Resting

More preening

More preening

The landing

The landing

Back to fishing

Scratching

And more fishing

And more fishing

Pose on the dam

Pose on the dam

Walking the dam

Walking the dam

Great Egret with a Great Blue Heron

Great Egret with a Great Blue Heron

Two fishing Great Egrets

A fishing pair

Stalking the prey in the grass

Stalking the prey in the grass

Just being me

Just being me

Moving to a new fishing place

Moving to a new fishing place

Serious fishing

Serious fishing

The catch!

The catch!

The catch!

The catch!

Great Egrets and American White Pelicans at Horicon Marsh on September 4, 2015

I made a trip up to Horicon Marsh in Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties in Wisconsin today. Overall quiet, but a few of the bigger species made themselves known. Great Egrets, American White Pelicans and Green Herons were some of the highlights. A tree laying in the water with 9 Wood Ducks on it looked impressive but the photo just does not do it justice. Some common shorebirds were present but located father from Hwy 49 when I was there. It was an overcast day and light fog early on and the light cloud cover remained the time I was there till late morning, temps were warm. Images were taken on September 4, 2015.

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

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Great Egret

Great Egret hunting!

Great Egret hunting!

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Great Egret

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Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

American White Pelican

American White Pelican

American White Pelican at takeoff!

American White Pelican at takeoff!

American White Pelican

American White Pelican

11 Wood Ducks preening and resting!

9 Wood Ducks preening and resting! Red eyes are the males.

Green Heron

Green Heron with a frog!

Green Heron hunting!

Green Heron hunting!

Green Heron with a small fish

Green Heron with a small fish

Green Heron with a leach!

Green Heron with a leech!

Horicon Marsh, WI August 13, 2013

Photographs from Horicon Marsh, Fond du lac/Dodge County, Wisconsin taken August 13, 2013.

Marbled Godwit

Marbled Godwit

Marbled Godwit

Marbled Godwit

Common Moorhen with young

Common Moorhen with young

Red-necked Phalaropes

3 – Red-necked Phalaropes (background)

Spotted Sandpiper

Spotted Sandpiper

Juvenile Stilt Sandpiper

Juvenile Stilt Sandpiper

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

To view the full gallery of images, please click here.

Horicon Marsh, WI July 29, 2013

Photographs from Horicon Marsh, Fond du lac/Dodge County, Wisconsin taken July 29, 2013.

Black-crowned Night Heron

Black-crowned Night Heron

Black-crowned Night Heron

Black-crowned Night Heron

Baby Common Moorhen

Baby Common Moorhen

Juvenile American White Pelicans

Juvenile American White Pelicans

Juvenile American White Pelicans

Juvenile American White Pelicans

Juvenile American White Pelicans

Juvenile American White Pelicans

Juvenile American White Pelican

Juvenile American White Pelican

Juvenile Black Tern

Juvenile Black Tern

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

To view the full gallery of images, please click here.