Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) take off from a small pond at dusk with the lead goose flying in front of the formation. The lead goose expends the most energy because it is the first to break up the flow of air that provides additional lift for all of the geese who follow behind the leader. When the lead goose gets tired, it drops out of the front position and moves to the rear of the formation where the resistance is lightest and another goose moves into the leadership position.
Fog hangs over a salt marsh as this Great Egret (Ardea alba ) executes a graceful landing on a mudflat.
Photographed in a salt marsh on Long Island Sound. The Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) is larger than Lesser Yellowlegs and has a longer bill grayish at base.
A Red-Winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) chases a Red-Shouldered Hawk (Buteo Lineatus). Photographed in the spring.
A Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) takes off directly into the setting sun.
Canada Geese (Branta canadensis)
Great Egret Green Water Landing
A Great Egret (Ardea alba) lands in the colorful water reflection from the trees surrounding the water.
A flock of Canada Geese take off.
Twenty one Canada Geese leave a pond at sunset.
Snowy Egret Balance and Reflection
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Seven Glossy Ibises (Plegadis falcinellus).
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
A Great Egret dips into the muddy water of a shallow pond for food.
Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor)
Great Egret Fishing Reflection
A Great Egret fishing along a mudflat in a salt marsh, gulps down a small fish.
Cormorant in flight.
The Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) and many other birds are back at the salt marsh for another high activity season of building nests, mating, fishing and fighting over food and territory. This Osprey is circling the salt marsh looking for a fish for his mate.
I was walking through the woods along the perimeter of a salt marsh and happened to look through the trees and spotted this Great Egret (Ardea alba) standing in the water against this colorful background. Luckily, there was enough unobstructed space through the trees for a clear shot. I shot a few frames of the egret struting around and captured this image when it decided to takeoff.
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Ardea alba