Great White

The conditions were rather dull, but the spectacle of a group of 5 Great Egrets coming and going from a patch of the reed beds more than made up for it.


This shot of a Great White Egret coming in to land in the reeds clearly shows the changes that come about at this time of year as the bird reaches breeding condition.  The back plumes become longer ready for courtship display while the legs become clearly red.  The lores (the area around the eye and bill) become a much stronger green while the bill itself darkens from its usual yellow to become almost blackish.  

(Just in case you are wondering, I haven't changed the saturation of any of the colours here).