Many thousands of elegant Snowy Egrets were “slaughtered for [their] plumes in the 19th century, but protection brought a rapid recovery of numbers, and the Snowy Egret is now more widespread and common than ever.” (Audubon). Today the species is found throughout the United States, Central and South America (for a Range Map and more, […]
Tag Archives: Snowy Egret
“Among the most elegant of the herons, the slender Snowy Egret sets off immaculate white plumage with black legs and brilliant yellow feet.” (All About Birds). I’ve always loved the graceful mannerisms of the Snowy Egret, a species that was nearly decimated in the early 1900’s during the notorious plume trade, when an ounce of their […]
I attended the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival for the second time this year, one of the largest birding festivals in the U.S. Much of the Festival takes place close to one of my favorite birding spots, Merritt Island NWR, near Kennedy Space Center and Titusville, Florida.One of the birds frequently seen along Black Point Wildlife […]
Are you familiar with the infamous plume trade that supplied the millinery industry just over 100 years ago? This sign at the entrance to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, near Naples, Florida, provides a glimpse into the history behind this practice . . . and, this incredible place. I cringe to think about it, but literally millions of […]
In a few days we will celebrate Rosh HaShana, the Jewish New Year. The holiday liturgy includes the story of Chana, as told in the Tanakh (Jewish Bible). Chana is disconsolate because she is childless, and, in a powerfully emotional scene, she pours out her heart in prayer to God.Chana’s Song is her prayer of thanksgiving to God after she […]
My daughter and her boyfriend sent us this very special postcard [above] from their recent visit to the Muir Woods in California. I love the wonderful quote from John Muir, which reminded me why he was such a hero of mine years ago: “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than one seeks.” Reading about John Muir‘s travels and his […]
Can we call a bird “genteel”?? This delicate little Snowy Egret at the Big Cypress National Preserve in the Everglades looked so graceful and elegant, in such an unaffected and unpretentious way, that somehow the word genteel came to mind 😉
While watching some of my fine-looking bird friends just before a rain shower the other evening, I got to wondering about the origin of the expression “fine feathered friends”. As a child, I learned from my father that we “look it up” if we want to find out about something. I recall running often to the bookshelf […]
This past week, our Shabbat Torah reading, which was the second portion of the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy), opened with one of the most poignant and moving statements ever made by the great leader Moshe Rabbenu (Moses). G-d has previously told Moshe that, despite Moshe’s great love for Eretz Israel, he will never enter the […]
I just love living so close to our wetland preserves and sanctuaries. So many miracles of creation – every outing is a joy~!
Birder's Journey 