An evening with an egret

 It's a fact that one will miss what one doesn't see for ages, and the ordinary becomes not quite so ordinary, and so it is with the Little Egret that has been missing from its usual foraging ground by and in the river.  Three birds to be exact have been seen flying past the river to the adjacent golf course, not venturing down due mainly to regular human traffic and presence in the river area.  Thus when this one finally did fly down despite sensing our presence, it's clicking time, like guzzling a full glass of water after a dry spell.

CMCO Day 24

It did keep to the farthest end initially but the distance did not in any way detract from the sight of its pristine whiteness.

Providing a picturesque take.

Standing tall against the man-made water fall.

Answering a silent wish that it would provide a flight image.

And I thought that's it as it went up the stone steps towards the golf course.

But no, it returned and got closer to where we were.

Slender and poised looking, and deft as it ventured down to the river to hunt, again.

It bunched up its body hoping to strike but it turned out, now and even later, that it's not a particularly skilled 'fisher-bird'!

So it moved on to the middle of the river.

Striding purposefully across the sand bar.

More opportunities for photo-takes as it returned nearer again.

Striking a 'studio' pose.

Stalking ... unfortunately another failed attempt.

And finally seemingly in a hurry to stride off and away, not fly, to the other end of the river.