Reddish Egret

Immature Reddish Egret standing on a boardwalk handrailing with a Great-Tailed Grackle about two feet away on the rail looking back over its shoulder at the egret.
Reddish Egret, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk, Austwell, TX, March 25, 2021
Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon 18-135 mm lens; 135 mm; ISO-100; f/5.6; 1/250 sec.

This page is for the Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens). My first photographic evidence occurred on March 25, 2021 of a young bird at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Austwell, TX. This was my first experience with this bird and he was posing for us on the handrail as we were returning to my truck after exploring part of the refuge on foot. There were many Great-tailed Grackles around as well. This representative photograph is one of my favorite photos I have ever taken. I love how the grackle is looking over it’s shoulder at the egret.

The following photographs show a typical adult bird, one in the so-called white morph (the bi-colored bill with a pinkish base is the indicator it a Reddish Egret and not a Great Egret), and a series of six shot of its hunting technique called the “drunken sailor” where it gets the fish moving around then creates a shadow area with its wings. The fish think the shadow area is a protected location and they concentrate there, making an easy meal for the egret.

Reddish Egret walking in the shallow water near the shore.
Reddish Egret, Mustang Island, Port Aransas, TX, February 22, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-1000; f/10; 1/1000 sec. +1 Exposure Bias
Reddish Egret white morph standing in the shallow water.
Reddish Egret, Mustang Island, Port Aransas, TX, February 22, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-1000; f/11; 1/1000 sec. +1 Exposure Bias
Reddish Egret doing its "drunk sailor" hunting technique.
Reddish Egret, Mustang Island, Port Aransas, TX, February 22, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-800; f/10; 1/1000 sec. +1 Exposure Bias
Reddish Egret doing its "drunk sailor" hunting technique.
Reddish Egret, Mustang Island, Port Aransas, TX, February 22, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-800; f/10; 1/1000 sec. +1 Exposure Bias
Reddish Egret doing its "drunk sailor" hunting technique.
Reddish Egret, Mustang Island, Port Aransas, TX, February 22, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-800; f/10; 1/1000 sec. +1 Exposure Bias
Reddish Egret doing its "drunk sailor" hunting technique.
Reddish Egret, Mustang Island, Port Aransas, TX, February 22, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-800; f/10; 1/1000 sec. +1 Exposure Bias
Reddish Egret doing its "drunk sailor" hunting technique.
Reddish Egret, Mustang Island, Port Aransas, TX, February 22, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-1800; f/10; 1/1000 sec. +1 Exposure Bias
Reddish Egret doing its "drunk sailor" hunting technique.
Reddish Egret, Mustang Island, Port Aransas, TX, February 22, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-800; f/10; 1/1000 sec. +1 Exposure Bias
Reddish Egret walking in ankle deep water.
Reddish Egret, Port Aransas, TX, February 23, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-400; f/11; 1/1000 sec.
Reddish Egret standing in the shallow water. The bird has just flipped a small fish it caught into the air and is about to swallow it.
Reddish Egret, Port Aransas, TX, February 23, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-400; f/10; 1/1000 sec.
Reddish Egret in the shallow water doing its drunken sailor hunting technique.
Reddish Egret, Port Aransas, TX, February 23, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-400; f/10; 1/1000 sec.
Reddish Egret standing on a small island of oysters.
Reddish Egret, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Austwell, TX, February 24, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 700 mm; ISO-800; f/10; 1/2000 sec.