More Great Egret Territorial Tension
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Sharing a second post on the Great Egrets and their territorial tensions that continued where hundreds were packed in and trying to forage. It was a challenge because you had to be on the action before it happened, as it was over within seconds!
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Great Egrets trying to get along in tight quarters
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I lucked out on another series of Great Egrets defending their space, or more eloquently described in a few comments from yesterday’s post, performing ballet dancing. 😊
I’ll let these two tell their six-photo story as the tension begins between them as the American White Pelicans squeeze off space while passing by.
Also note a third Great Egret (bottom right corner of first photo only) is starting something with another one out of sight.
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(Birds in above photo – Great Egrets, American White Pelicans, Wood Stork, Snowy Egret)
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Right Egret’s “My Turf” Stance
(and the winner of that bit of space)
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That last shot makes me giggle! 😅
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They look like they’re dancing! Great images, and action coverage, Donna!
Thank you, Deborah!
Fiesty, them beaks can do serious damage! I like the way nobody else is the least bit bothered.
Great action shots again Dave (😉)
Thank you, Brenda! hehe 😉
You are right, Brian, those beaks are quite the weapon. And no one else gives a damn! lol
Great captures again Donna, especially loved the third photo where the egrets are facing off, it almost looks like a courting dance. 🙂
Thank you, Ashley! Courting is soon, maybe some were flirting with each other a little early in the season! 😉
I’m glad that you’re enjoying good weather plus ample amounts of birds. We are having very cold and gray days. Yesterday morning was 19ºF! You can imagine what the F stands for…
Great shots again! Thank you, Donna. 🙂
Holy moly, HJ! I cannot believe the weather and temps north of Florida and along the gulf coast. We are fortunate it didn’t reach this far south. I won’t tell you my temps. 😉 Thanks for the kind comments!
A wonderful set of action shots.
Thank you, Tom!
Fabulous!
Thanks, Irene!
Tension well-captured, Donna! The winner seems to be be gesturing, ‘Safety!’ 😉 game over!
Thank you, Eliza! Game over it was! At least for that pair and that dance! 🙂
Love the dance pose in #3 (DSC_8304-1 21321) most of all! Great to see the size comparison ‘tween Great and Snowy in that same image. 🥰
Thank you, Gunta! Danced they did! I too love seeing different birds alongside each other for comparison. 😊
Another great series. I often wonder what it is that the ‘winner’ does which makes the other back off. I often see similar displays of open or flapping wings of the Great Tits or Siskins on our feeder and can never quite see what the key move is. Maybe it’s the look in theirs eyes!?! It’s great though that they never seem to harm each other physically – just a blow to the other’s ego I guess (not to mention losing the space and possibly mating rights).
Thank you, Mike! I wonder if age/older has something to do with it too. Or if one is a male and the other is a female, and it’s just not time yet to flirt! I’m glad it seems more ego than violence, they’re too pretty to be a violent bird.
Probably more to do with the temperament of the bird. Some are known to be more timid and others more brave, so anything with a more feisty nature may well win out.
Also, I noticed that the egret in the bottom left hand corner seems to be watching intently. Could he or she be saying “THAT was impressive! I’m not messing with him, or her.” Or “He, or she, would be a good catch!” ?
Good thought too! Birds are quite smart!!
Great senery and interesting to see how every bird tries to protect it’s own chosen spot.
Thank you, Rudi! All these birds co-habitat together nicely, and it is interesting to see when tight quarters occur, how things changed as they felt threatened to lose their morning’s fishing hole.
Fantastic set of photos, Donna! I can feel the tension as well as the beauty in their moves.
Thank you, Barbara! It was really pretty to see many doing it at the same time in all directions. No big violence, just pushing and ‘dancing’. 🙂
Always fascinates me how the other birds, Snowy Egret and Pelicans, just go on about their business! Another great series, Donna. Glad to read above that the cold did not reach down to your area. We have been spared that, too, but gloomy, wet, grey days are wearing thin.
Thanks Ellen! I did notice the GBHs did command a little authority over the egrets but every one bowed to the pelicans. And the pelicans just foraged through with no care or inkling, lol. My goodness, I cannot believe the temps along the gulf coast and the east coast. It would wear thin where you’re at, fingers crossed this is all about to be over and Spring will spring forward!
You are welcome, Donna! They have it all worked out, at least until breeding season!
Yes, and may we actually have a spring this year and not leap right into summer!
Great series! They must have looked so graceful.
Thank you! It really did, sometimes the two up high in the air was like an elegant dance. I missed all those for photos. I quit trying and just enjoyed the dances. And everything else happening at once. 🙂
Quite the dust-up 😊. Wonderful action photos, Donna!
Thanks Belinda! Dust-ups all around, I couldn’t keep up with them! It was nice to stop and just watch the action too.