Cattle Egret

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

I’ve seen photos of cattle egrets in Africa and more tropical areas of the world, but they are now moving into North America where they feed on insects and such stirred up as cattle graze. Apparently this cow in Guilford County, North Carolina isn’t completely familiar with the species yet.

Plover

I walked out into the newly planted part of our garden and ran into a plover, a small wading-type bird. The poor thing was obviously hurt, for it flapped it’s damaged wing and called out in pain. All of this was a hoax of course, as the bird did everything in it’s power to lure me away from four small eggs camouflaged in the recently planted soil. I marked the spot and we’ll work around the nest till the eggs hatch and the young scurry away.

(Photographs copyright 2011 by Dan Routh)