This photo of a little egret was taken from inside a drift hut in the Camargue. In the shallow water, these waterbirds obviously find enough food to get through the day.
Characteristic of this species are their yellow legs.
The little egret (Egretta garzetta) is a white bird from the heron family. It is a breeding bird in the Netherlands and Flanders in small but increasing numbers.
It is a bird of wetlands such as lagoons, lakes, ponds and rivers. The bird breeds in dense swamp forest, often in the company of other herons and other waterfowl. The nest consists of branches, leaves and feathers and is mainly made in trees and substantial shrubs. Sometimes it nests on the ground or in reeds. The male collects the material with which the female makes the nest. She lays three or four light blue-green eggs. The eggs are incubated by both the male and the female. After a breeding period of 20 to 26 days, the eggs hatch.
In mild winters, many little egrets sometimes stay in the Netherlands or migrate to southern Europe. In harsh winters, they move on in large numbers, from North Africa to Senegal, Cameroon and Kenya. The little egret migrates during the day, often in small groups. In the Netherlands, they return in March or April.
My name is Patrick Haleyt, a nature and black-and-white street photographer driven by a deep fascination with the raw beauty of the natural world. My work focuses on capturing the quiet intensity of nature and landscapes - moments where light, form and emotion merge into timeless simplicity. My.. Read more…