Great Egret, Ardea alba: Saint Augustine Alligator Farm;
Saint Augustine, Florida
One of the best places on the planet I know to photograph nesting wading birds is the Alligator farm at Saint Augustine, Florida. It has a natural wading bird rookery, where the bird nests within a few feet of a boardwalk that traverses a gator invested lake. This Great Egret is displaying for a mate on the nest platform that he built. Once he is paired with a female the two will complete the nest together, where she will deposit anywhere between 1 and 6 eggs. The eggs typically hatch about 23-27 days after being laid. To witness this spectacle for yourself, be at the alligator farm between mid March through mid June. Don't forget your camera!
Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/1000 second @ f/8
Awesome! God did a great job on the egrets, and Bobby has done a great job capturing their splendor!
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