Pic of the Day

Snowy Egret, Egretta thula:  Saint Augustine Alligator Farm; 

Saint Augustine, Florida

     Aigrette, a plume of feathers, an ornamental tuft of upright plumes, brush; all apt descriptions of the graceful plume feathers of egrets and some herons in their breeding dress.  

     This photo shows a male Snowy Egret with it aigrette feathers raised in nuptial display.  The demand for these delicate aigrette plumes in the millinery trade was the reason that these beautiful birds were driven to near extinction at the turn of the last century. 

     The mass killing of egrets for the millinery trade was also the catalyst that initiated the formation of the Audubon Society.  Its members were instrumental in passing the Lacey Act (1900), which ended the use of birds and feathers in the millinery trade.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm f2.8, 1/1250 @ f7.1

Pic of the Day

Snowy Egret, Egretta thula; Fort Myers Beach, Florida

     This Snowy Egret with its spread wings was captured landing in a tide pool during an early morning feeding frenzy at the Fort Myers Beach sandbar.  Other birds feeding were Roseate Spoonbills, Brown Pelican, Willets, American Egrets, and Tri-colored, Little Blue and Great Blue Herons.  The feeding frenzy occurred for three mornings in a row.  I guess it took that long to deplete the fish trapped in the tide pool.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm f2.8, 1/1250 second @ f7.1