Little Egret

One of the most common water birds that you can find in India. It is actually a small Heron and I spotted it patiently fishing in a pond near our house. The first photograph reminds me of a model doing a cat-walk in the ramp and the second photograph, a gracefully posing fashion model.
The bird is similar to the little bigger median egret and I use the yellow toes and feet of the little egret to distinguish it from the median egret, which has all black feet.

All the patience and grace pays off, with a fresh catch.

Little Egret

I featured a post on the little egret last month; but the reflection of the bird in the water in this photograph tempted me to post it again. Clicked with the smallest possible aperture on my Sony H-7 (f/8) inorder to get a clear reflection.
This snow white bird is similar to a cattle egret in its non-breeding plummage, except that it has a black bill and black and yellow feet. In former years, the bird's filamentous ornamental feathers from the posterior and the breasts were used for millinery purposes which is illegal now. The bird is very bright and it has startled me on a number of occasions; when it takes off, it appears as a bright white flash.

Little Egret

For the second time 'little egret' is featured on my blog; for two reasons. One being, I managed to photograph the egret in midflight. Its generally difficult to freeze a bird midair, especially with a compact camera. The lighting has to be adequate and requires quick focusing.
The other reason is visible in the second photograph which was particularly posted to highlight our apathy towards our beautiful environment. The beauty of this bird is severely marred by the garbage around it; mostly plastics. Just think, if a photograph can be scarred with one plastic bag, what about nature and the hundreds of items we dump into it!
Both the photographs here feature the same bird; doesn't the absence of garbage give so much more serenity to the first photograph? Today, if the lakes are not being reclaimed, then they are being polluted with garbag; very few are left untouched. It's time we help ourselves keep our nation clean and green.

Little Egret

In the 17th up to the 19th century the plumes of this bird were in great demand to make hats, and hunting had reduced this bird population to dangerously low levels. But Conservation laws helped protect this bird and its population has come back strongly.
In the first photograph, the bird is quietly stalking its prey the bird then, at the right moment, uses its long beak to spear through its prey.
In the second photograph the bright white plumes of the bird, are clearly reflected even in the muddy water.