When do you only spend five minutes with a Great Egret? When there is a Fork-tailed Flycatcher in the neighbourhood! This is the fourth Great Egret that I have seen on the Avalon Peninsula over the last two years and I know others have been reported. One of them succumbed to the exhaustion shortly after its arrival. Others have stayed for quite a while before leaving for parts unknown.
Perhaps it is the huge wings on this bird that make it susceptible to getting swept away by strong winds. Whatever the cause, these are always welcome visitors to the province. Many non-birders stop and enjoy the sight of the Great Egret. It is hard to drive by without stopping to admire its sleek, lanky body. At times it can look amazingly graceful and at other times it seems so disproportionate and awkward.
This Great Egret turned up at Renews which is a very small community on the Southern Shore that has hosted many rare birds over the years. Notable were the Northern Lapwing, many Killdeer, this Great Egret and the latest...the Fork-tailed Flycatcher. This list doesn't include the many vagrant birds that show up on Bear Cove Point Road.
The weather has be warm and hopefully our current vagrants will eat well, get strong and continue on safely about their journey.
