Great Egret

Another tall wading bird that I saw last weekend, on my trip out on the Mississippi River, is the Great Egret (also posted pics of the Great Egret on my  6-13-10 post).  Great Egrets will spend its summers along the Mississippi River in large numbers. They usually are solitary bird, but where prey is abundant, they will gather in large numbers. I saw many nesting on "Bird Island" (8-10-10 Post). This would conclude that the Mississippi has an abundant of snakes, frogs, fish and crayfish - its favorite foods.  In the photo (Below, 8-7-10), is a Great Egret ready to land in the reeds along the Illinois side of the Mississippi River.

The Great Egret's combination of a yellow bill and black legs is unique among egrets and herons.

A Great Egret fishing at Horicon Marsh National Wildlife refuge in Southern Wisconsin (5-29-10)