{"id":41014,"date":"2016-08-15T05:20:33","date_gmt":"2016-08-15T11:20:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=41014"},"modified":"2025-09-01T13:57:40","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T18:57:40","slug":"great-egret-portrait","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/08\/15\/great-egret-portrait\/","title":{"rendered":"Great Egret Portrait"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"GreatGreat Egret portrait in dappled light – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1\/800, ISO 160, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I have mentioned many times that when I have the opportunity to take portraits of birds I jump at the chance. In February of 2009 I had met some friends at Lake Seminole in Pinellas County<\/span><\/a>, Florida.<\/p>\n

When we were done photographing at the lake we all drove over to Indian Shores to see a small but accessible rookery where several species of wading birds congregated.<\/p>\n

While walking the boardwalk at the small rookery I was able to get close to this Great Egret that was resting under the canopy of a large tree and took this portrait of it. I only took a few images of the egret and moved on because I didn’t want to disturb it while it rested.<\/p>\n

I loved the brilliant blue sky that showed through the dark canopy of the tree, the dappled light, the great view of the egret’s eye and the fluffy feathers on the tip of the egret’s bill that were probably there because the egret had been preening. I also like the S curve of the egret’s neck.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Great Egret photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While walking the boardwalk at the small rookery I was able to get close to this Great Egret that was resting under the canopy of a large tree and took this portrait of it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":153768,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,25,362,5368,2000],"tags":[4004,4272,4142,5369,743,351,363,16707,4246,4046,325,313,373],"class_list":["post-41014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-florida","category-great-egrets","category-indian-shores","category-pinellas-county-florida","tag-adult","tag-ardea-alba","tag-close-up","tag-dappled-light","tag-egret","tag-egrets","tag-great-egret","tag-indian-shores","tag-nonbreeding-plumage","tag-portrait","tag-rookery","tag-wading-birds","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/great-egret-portrait-blues-mia-mcpherson-1309.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-aFw","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":18637,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/01\/18\/great-egrets-big-white-wading-birds\/","url_meta":{"origin":41014,"position":0},"title":"Great Egrets – Big White Wading Birds","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 18, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"After posting Great Blue Heron images yesterday I decided to post images of Great Egrets which are also a large wading bird species this morning.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Great Egret in flight, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-egret-flight-mia-mcpherson-2568.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-egret-flight-mia-mcpherson-2568.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-egret-flight-mia-mcpherson-2568.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-egret-flight-mia-mcpherson-2568.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9821,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/10\/18\/great-egret-in-breeding-plumage\/","url_meta":{"origin":41014,"position":1},"title":"Great Egret In Breeding Plumage","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 18, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Great Egrets develop fancy plumes when they are in breeding plumage and seem to be quite famous for that but their lores also change color from yellow to a lime green","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Portrait of a Great Egret in breeding plumage, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-egret-breeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-4730.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-egret-breeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-4730.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-egret-breeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-4730.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-egret-breeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-4730.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":110948,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/03\/08\/when-life-gives-you-a-twisted-neck\/","url_meta":{"origin":41014,"position":2},"title":"When Life Gives You A Twisted Neck Just Go With The Flow","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 8, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"When I took photos of this Great Egret with a twisted neck and buggy eyes at Fort De Soto I didn't think I'd still be laughing at them fourteen years later.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Great Egret with a twisted neck and buggy eyes, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/great-egret-goofy-fort-desoto-mia-mcpherson-9349.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/great-egret-goofy-fort-desoto-mia-mcpherson-9349.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/great-egret-goofy-fort-desoto-mia-mcpherson-9349.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/great-egret-goofy-fort-desoto-mia-mcpherson-9349.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7015,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/01\/04\/two-great-birds\/","url_meta":{"origin":41014,"position":3},"title":"Two Great Birds","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"These two \"Great\" images were taken two minutes apart of two different \"Great\" wading birds in Florida.","rel":"","context":"In "Florida"","block_context":{"text":"Florida","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/florida\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Breeding plumage lores in a Great Egret, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/great-egret-breeding-mia-mcpherson-8131.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/great-egret-breeding-mia-mcpherson-8131.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/great-egret-breeding-mia-mcpherson-8131.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/great-egret-breeding-mia-mcpherson-8131.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":63221,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/01\/25\/fun-photographing-reddish-egrets-in-florida\/","url_meta":{"origin":41014,"position":4},"title":"Fun Photographing Reddish Egrets In Florida","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I had so much fun photographing Reddish Egrets when I lived in Florida and could see them nearly every time I went to Fort De Soto County Park's north beach.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Reddish Egret foraging near mangroves, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reddish-egret-dark-mangroves-mia-mcpherson-8790.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reddish-egret-dark-mangroves-mia-mcpherson-8790.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reddish-egret-dark-mangroves-mia-mcpherson-8790.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reddish-egret-dark-mangroves-mia-mcpherson-8790.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":149898,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/07\/07\/foraging-great-egret-close-up\/","url_meta":{"origin":41014,"position":5},"title":"Foraging Great Egret Close Up","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The day before the recent holiday, I was happy to take a close up photo of a foraging Great Egret at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge from the road.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Foraging Great Egret close up at Sequoyah NWR, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/great-egret-close-up-ok-mia-mcpherson-1298.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/great-egret-close-up-ok-mia-mcpherson-1298.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/great-egret-close-up-ok-mia-mcpherson-1298.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/great-egret-close-up-ok-mia-mcpherson-1298.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41014","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41014"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41014\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/153768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}