Great Egrets

We've been seeing these large, white birds in the rice fields quite often lately, and today, Katie, Joseph, and Matthew saw them fly over the house, low enough to see colors. Since we don't have a Japanese bird book, we did a little internet research after their sighting.

We think they are Great Egrets (Ardea alba), called Chu-dai Sagi in Japanese. Here's why:

--neck tucked under during flight
--all white plumage
--black legs
--yellow beak

But we aren't completely sure because one that I saw in flight yesterday looked like it had darker patches under the wings, or at the ends of the wings. So that was odd. The others we have seen are all white. Maybe what I saw yesterday was a different bird. Or a juvenile? I'm not sure when nesting would happen here, since it's a short summer, but I would think they must be fledged by now.

We always seem to see them when we're driving, so it is difficult to observe closely. I keep hoping to see some while I'm out on a walk, but so far it hasn't happened.


Joseph noticed these in a rice field along the road we regularly take to base, and we struck out onto the field road to try for a closer photo of them. While the van was hidden behind some tall grass, they didn't seem to mind our presence.



Unfortunately, when I pulled forward a little to try to get a closer photo, it spooked them, and off they flew.


We are hoping for another chance to take a close-up photo. They are magnificent birds.