Snowy Egret in Saskatchewan

In a slough beside a lake not far south of Regina, Saskatchewan — a snowy egret, hidden in reeds.

I was so startled to see an egret this far north that I drove some distance down the road puzzling over it, and then turned around in a farmyard and went back to see if I was imaging its snow white feathers at the edge of this Saskatchewan slough.

Snowy egret, near Regina, Saskatchewan © SB 

But I'm sure that's what it is, from the typical dark beak and yellow marking of a snowy egret.

I turned off onto the grid road beside the slough, pulled off onto the rough shoulder and took several pictures through the window of my van.

After a while, I had company — an RCMP car patrolling that section of highway pulled up alongside me. The officer rolled down his window and asked if I needed help.

"Only for bird identification," I said. "I swear there's a snowy egret out there — but I never expected to see one here!"

He laughed, and drove on.

Birds — and people — continue to amaze me.

The egret is well hidden in these reeds © SB  

A closer shot, taken with a long lens
from the nearby grid road © SB 

What is this?  Snowy Egret 

Location: South of Regina, in marsh east side of road, along Highway 6 (by grid road to Riceton).

Photo date: May 21, 2012.  

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