Posts Tagged: egretss

A Visit to the Eastons and Hank Finds a Friend

On August 9, 2026 - Beavers, Herons, Wildlife Photography

The weather let me get out three times last week. I had a visit with the Eastons and a change of pace took me to the Waits River where it looks like Hank has found a friend.

The Beaver Meadow Chapel at 1672 Beaver Meadow Road Norwich, VT will be hosting me to present my slideshow An Uncommon Look at the Common Loon Saturday August 22 at 7:00 p.m. Free and everyone welcome.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my setup at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Fair. My next show is going to be local. I’ll be exhibiting in the Vermont North By Hand Open Studio Tour October 10-11, 2026. I’ll be set up at the Martin Farm on Route 5 right on the Bradford – Fairlee Town Line. Sue Martin is a very talented stained glass maker and has kindly offered me space to set up next to her. (I’d open my ‘studio,’ but my work at home is in a very cramped 6′ x 9′ office – mostly filled from floor to ceiling. There’s not much to see…) The map and details for the Open Studio Tour are here.


Last Tuesday, I made the trek up to check in on the Eastons. On my last several visits, Mrs. Easton had been facing a serious, ongoing challenge for the pond. On each of my visits, an intruding female arrived and a scuffle began.

When I arrived Tuesday, there was peace on the pond. Mom and Dad were foraging lazily. The chicks were sleeping in. Every so often, one of the parents would deliver a snack to the chicks, often having to wake them to make the delivery. The chicks would often take the snack, yawn then return to his nap.

Being a well-fed chick can be very tiring.

Sometimes, they’d take a moment to just look cute before going back to nap.
After getting a snack from Mom, this chick scored what looks to be a caddisfly emerging.

Dad took over babysitting and Mom headed up the pond on her own. I went looking for Hank. Before I could find him, an intruding loon flew in. He landed not too far from the chicks.

Mom quickly returned down the pond.

A closer look. This gives a good look at her bands – that’s how I tell the parents apart.

The intruder seemed more interested in breakfast than fighting. Dad went to face off with him repeatedly. The intruder would dive and cover a lot of water before resurfacing. Dad eventually put on a wing-rowing display and the intruder took the hint and departed.

Dad looks kind of smug as he returns to the chicks.

Peace returned to the pond. I poked around a bit more, without finding Hank. The female intruder didn’t show up while I was there.

On Wednesday, I headed down to the Waits River. There have been black-crowned night herons nesting there for several years and a least bittern has been a regular in the marsh. There was a thick fog when I put in and it stubbornly refused to lift. I explored around the marsh.

I flushed a beaver I hadn’t seen from the reeds. He circled around close to the boat a couple times before deciding to resume breakfast somewhere else.

I was about to give up and head in. As I started upstream, a great egret flew in.

The egret set to work finding some breakfast. Can I name him Egret Allen Poe? OK, I’ll work on it.

The egret standing tall…..

And stalking something along the river bank.
When I looked up from the camera, I discovered Hank had appeared just a few feet upstream. I assumed someone was going to chase someone else away. But for a time, they foraged near each other. Hank would follow the egret as they went downstream.
Hank eventually made a halfhearted lunge towards the egret. The egret danced out of bill’s reach and resumed foraging. Hank gave up the chase and also went back to foraging. They stayed close as they worked their way back upstream.

After a time, Hank flew a couple hundred yards upstream. The egret followed promptly and they went back to foraging near each other. They repeated this a couple more times.

I returned the next day and found them flying upstream together. They headed away from the River and I didn’t see them again that morning.

Both herons and egrets are solitary birds. The heron looks to be a juvenile, I have no idea how to spot a juvenile egret. I wonder if they’re used to having company in the nest and haven’t grown into the need for solitude.

Hank foraging in the shallow water.
Hank checking downstairs to see if breakfast is down there….
Hank managed to come up with what looked like sticks on a couple tries. They were promptly tossed.
After getting nothing edible, Hank strode upstream to find better opportunities.

The egret followed along…

Checking in to see how the fishing is…
Hank flew a bit upstream and hid in the reeds. The egret followed. But apparently didn’t like the set up as he flew further upstream after just a couple minutes. Hank followed along.

The egret found this territory more to his liking.

The egret making a catch. Harold “Doc” Edgerton, call your office.
The fog had lifted enough to start getting some contrast in the photos. I took advantage and got the egret posing.
The egret seemed to think his left profile was his good side…
And one more pose before I headed in.

A note on the type, I’ve tried to increase the font size on both the text and photo captions. Is this an improvement?

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