A great egret inspects potholes that have been filled with water from a recent rain.
During a birdwatching outing, I paid a visit to a pothole-covered road that is largely considered undrivable. The lack of vehicles and secluded nature of the road lend themselves nicely to being a popular birding location. After having a couple of rainy birdwatching days, I was happy to be able to have the car windows rolled down and not have the inside of the car rained on while I listened to the birds and took photographs of them.
I was watching songbirds dart around the trees that lined the road on either side when a great egret appeared. It flew through the trees and carefully lowered itself with precisely angled, outstretched wings, landing right in the middle of the road. It was interested in the potholes, which remained filled with rainwater.
Egrets are fairly large birds standing at a few feet tall. Their size and bright white plumage can make them more visible in the wetlands they frequent where they pursue the likes of fish and frogs. They stand poised and still in wait, ready to propel their head into the water for a potential meal swimming past their camouflaged reedlike legs.
The egret walked around on the road, thoroughly inspecting the pothole puddles and the water-filled ditch as well. It was probably searching for frogs. Unfortunately for the egret, but fortunately for the frogs, the egret eventually flew away without catching anything. And fortunately for me, seeing an elegant egret in this setting was a treat.