Great Egret, Ardea alba

Many of these were taken at the heron nesting colony at Palo Alto Baylands, for several years a spectacular spot for close observation and photography. In breeding plumage, the Great Egret develops elaborate plumes, and its lores (the area right behind the bill) turns a more or less bright shade of green, depending on the hormonal level.

Carrying nesting material.

The three pictures above and left show pairs of Great Egrets courting -- a male offering a stick for nestbuilding in the top two, and the pair billing in the bottom one.

The adult feeding nestlings above was at the rookery at High Island, Texas -- a great spot for observing heron nesting at eye level. The two groups of juveniles left and below were photographed at Palo Alto Baylands. The two pictures of the interacting full-grown juveniles at the bottom were taken at another Bay Area heron nesting colony, at Radio Road in Redwood Shores.