Unusual Wayward Traveler

[Water Wolf]

Last Sat. {May 26th} I noticed a unusual white bird standing in the field near my house. I was able to snap a photo of it before a car scared it away.



I looked this bird up in a bird book and it appears to be a Cattle Egret, something I have never ever seen in Saskatchewan, let alone my area.
According to the book Cattle Egrets are not native to the USA but migrated from Africa and are now established in parts of the USA. They are usually white, with a pale orange crest, breast and back. They perfer the company of heard animals and eat the small animals that are stirred up by the heard. Sure enough this egret was eating around my horse's hooves.
It was a cold, rainy and very windy day. I think it must have been blown up this way by the strong Southern winds from the USA.

WW

[devil-man]

That's a cool sighting!
Maybe they will become established in your area. 

[Water Wolf]

Thanks Devil-man.

It would not bother me if they did. They neat looking birds and from the looks of things not to destructive.

WW

[Pikeguy]

Looks pretty cool WW...makes ya feel like you're in the Serengeti lol

[bigredfishing]

cool bird man.  We get White egrets around here in the summer -  but they don't have that funky crest

[Water Wolf]

cool bird man.  We get White egrets around here in the summer -  but they don't have that funky crest

Bigred, the egrets you saw may have been the snowy egrets.
They area all white with no orange feathers.

LOL, Pikeguy it does feel like the Serengeti, with the egret and cow birds around the cow and horse herds and an odd turkey vulture flying by and now finally some warm temps.

WW

[vancouvercanuck]

Hey: If you look real close, in the background there is a blue footed African boobie.

Cheers, In all seriousness tho, nice pic.

[Water Wolf]

Thanks vancouver.

WW