A Snowbird in Paradise

We were sitting on the park bench by the lake having a drink together when a small flock of cattle egrets landed on the seawall 2 houses away. Right behind them came a Great Egret. He chose a landing spot about 50 feet from us and started walking toward us. He was between us and the house. The neighbor came out to see how close the bird would get to us. I will have to give him the camera sometime to take a photo of us and one of these bold birds.

Over the space of half an hour the bird eyed us, wandered nearer, then a little away, ending up on the sea wall about 10 feet from our bench. We weren't silent, by any means. He was talking on the cell phone and I was talking to the Egret and taking pictures. There WAS interaction between us and the bird, but it is hard to say on what level. You would not believe how comfortable the Egret and the Stork seem to be with us.From All About Birds (Cornell University)
A large white heron, the Great Egret is found across much of the world, from southern Canada southward to Argentina, and in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. It's the largest egret in the Old World, and thus has garnered the name Great White Egret. But in the Americas, the white form of the Great Blue Heron is larger and warrants that name. In the United States, the Great Egret used to be called the American Egret but that was hardly appropriate, since the species range extends beyond America and indeed farther than other herons.

• Long, black legs and feet.
• Yellow bill is long, stout, and straight.
• Flies with neck pulled back in S-curve.
• Size: 94-104 cm (37-41 in)
• Wingspan: 131-145 cm (52-57 in)
• Weight: 1000 g (35.3 ounces)
• Sexes appear alike.
• A deep croak when disturbed. Other low calls around nest