Snowy Egret

This is another photograph that I set aside, not really knowing what to do with it. It is a snowy egret flying up to perch on some sort of utility platform and the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. My only reservation with the photo is that the birds face is completely obscured.

"Among the most elegant of the herons, the slender Snowy Egret sets off immaculate white plumage with black legs and brilliant yellow feet. Those feet seem to play a role in stirring up or herding small aquatic animals as the egret forages. Breeding Snowy Egrets grow filmy, curving plumes that once fetched astronomical prices in the fashion industry, endangering the species. Early conservationists rallied to protect egrets by the early twentieth century, and this species is once again a common sight in shallow coastal wetlands." - allaboutbirds.org

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Red-Bellied Woodpecker

I have a growing library of red-bellied woodpecker photos. From time-to-time, I see them at the edge of the forest behind my home. They sometimes also visit my bird feeder and make a mess looking for a raisin or a peanut. I've set out a couple feeders specifically for woodpeckers, but so far haven't seen any at those feeders.

"Red-bellied Woodpeckers are pale, medium-sized woodpeckers common in forests of the East. Their strikingly barred backs and gleaming red caps make them an unforgettable sight – just resist the temptation to call them Red-headed Woodpeckers, a somewhat rarer species that's mostly black on the back with big white wing patches. Learn the Red-bellied's rolling call and you’ll notice these birds everywhere." - allaboutbirds.org

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Goldfinch

I chased after this goldfinch during our morning walk yesterday. The bird seemed to know I was following hopped around from tree to tree. In this photo the bird is preparing to nab one of those seeds.

While I was photographing the goldfinch Ben and Charlie got way ahead of me. They seem to know when I'm preoccupied with something, and they will definitely take advantage of the moment.

"Goldfinches are among the strictest vegetarians in the bird world, selecting an entirely vegetable diet and only inadvertently swallowing an occasional insect." - allaboutbirds.org

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