Great Egret, Chincoteague NWR

Today we'll wrap up this series of bird images from Chincoteague NWR with a few Great Egret images.  The images show here as well as the ones from the two previous post were all taken with yards of each other along a small roadside tidal creek.  While one may mistakenly believe that to capture such images one would need to be hidden away deep in undisturbed territory the fact is that automobiles, bikers, and pedestrians were passing by only yards away. 

 

I hope you all have enjoyed my birds of Chincoteague NWR and hope to visit there again very soon.

Double-crested Cormorants & Immature White Ibis

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to photograph a great variety of birds in a short amount of time.  The species available will vary with the season as many species spend their nesting seasons here and move south for winter.  As some species move out others move through while for others it is a preferred winter destination.  Chincoteague NWR is an important Eastern Shore wintering grounds for many species of waterfowl.

 

Double-crested Cormorants are voracious fish eating birds and the fish filled tidal creeks of Assateague Island attract them in large numbers.  When not fishing the cormorants can be found hanging out near the water either resting or with wings spread wide, drying their plumage.

 

White Ibis, a long-legged wader of the deep south is also found here.  On this particular visit all of the White Ibis I encountered were juveniles.  These birds seemed to be particularly trusting and allowed me to move cautiously about capturing beautiful close-up images. 

 

Immature Black-crowned Night Heron

While visiting Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge I was busy photographing various water birds along a small tidal creek when I noticed subdued movement in an overhanging tree.  Watching closely I was soon able to make out the shape of a bird that blended superbly with its surroundings, an immature Black-crowned Night Heron.  Sitting quietly and watching intently, I picked out more of these well camouflaged birds as the morning wore on.  While these birds are known feed alone from dusk to dawn and roost in flocks during the day.  I consider myself fortunate to have found myself in a spot where these well hidden birds had chosen to spend their day. 

 

 

 

Chincoteague NWR: A Great Place for Birds

Mention the name Chincoteague among a group of island goers and each may have different reasons for being attracted to this sea-side island.  For some it is the beach, others travel there for the fishing and boating while others enjoy the browsing the little shops scattered about the island, and all enjoy the restaurants and the friendly folks at the local businesses.  Among this group of Chincoteague enthusiast is a dedicated group of birders who value the Chincoteague NWR for the amazing birding opportunities it provides. 

 

I captured the following photos of Great Egrets and a Snowy Egret along the roadside during my recent visit.   Access here to some awesome wildlife photo opportunities frequently is only a few feet from your car's door if not out the window.