This Great Egret has just taken flight--leaving this salt marsh in search of, well, who knows really. Could it be for a better fishing spot, a safe shelter for the night, in search of a mate or back to a nest to care for newly hatched chicks.? Fly away then! I hope you find what you seek.
I made this photo while in Galveston, Texas attending my very first Featherfest. Pictured is a Great Egret in flight. I spotted the bird in a pond while driving along Stewart Road and I pulled off to see what kind of photo opportunities might present themselves. This is the shot that I feel is the best from that stop. In many ways, it was a lucky shot, as I was practicing panning to capture birds in flight. I like the movement conveyed and the way the sunlight is backlighting the bird.
A flying egret is not an uncommon sight along the coast, especially in the spring. Being a common sight is precisely why they are often overlooked and dismissed. We sometimes become so used to having a thing around that we stop truly seeing it and maybe even stop looking. This work reminds me to stop and look for the beauty in everyday scenes around me.
