By Boysenberry45
Every birder has what is known as a “spark bird” – the one that first made one’s heart race faster and sparked an interest in birding. Anyone who knows me even in passing knows that mine is the Great Egret, an elegant member of the heron family. Great Egrets can have a wingspan up to five feet, but weigh as little as two pounds! With literally feather-weight wings stroking the air slowly and super-long neck tucked in, the Great Egret is one of the most ethereal birds in flight.
In breeding plumage, the Great Egret has ornamental feathers (aigrettes) flowing from its back like a bridal veil, and the area between the bill and the eyes (lore) turns an iridescent lime green. This large, all white bird is easily spotted lurking along the water’s edge looking for a fish to spear and eat, but on occasion can be found high up in a tree preening with great care – every feather counts!
Normally quite serene, even a Great Egret can get its feathers ruffled, as seen here at Turtle Pond. Sadly, these birds are only resident in Central Park from March through about September, so enjoy them before they head south for the winter.
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I enjoy these reports. Please keep them up!
Beautiful….Love the photos
My Spark bird was the Blackburnian Warbler!
Thanks for the lovely photos
Egrets are often spotted in “The Pond”, Central Park’s scenic water body in the southeastern most corner of the park near Fifth Avenue and E.60th St., across from The Plaza Hotel. It’s always a remarkable sight! And when you visit this area, be sure to stop by the Hallett Nature Sanctuary, a lovely hilly retreat overlooking The Pond with nature paths and beautiful views from the top! Enter the Hallett Nature Sanctuary from the opened gated entrance located along the pedestrian path just past the wonderful Gapstow Bridge, a recognizable location used in many movie scenes, including “Home Alone 2” and Disney’s “Enchanted.”
All beautiful! And all in our own backyard too!
My “spark bird” was a Scarlet Tanager outside the Diana Ross Playground over 10 years ago and I’ve been birding ever since. Thank you for posting the beautiful Egret photos.
I, too, had the privilege and thrill of seeing this magnificent bird at The Pond yesterday, thanks to the sharp eye of one of my fellow birders who spotted the Ibis. I am a relative newbie to the birding community, but I would be remiss if I failed to thank all the wonderful people from the Linnaean Society who have been so kind and generous with their knowledge and time.
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Thank you for the Birding Report!
Thank you, thank you for the photos and the comments. I’m a birder myself but didn’t know all these tidbits about egrets. I did see two of them roosting in a tree above the Pool in the North Woods ~ pure white against that green canopy. And I’ve seen them catch and eat fish/fly. They are just gorgeous!