Chris' Camera Bag

A Photo Web log by Chris Young

Herons and egrets converge on Illinois wetlands

It’s a late-summer ritual as wading birds like herons and egrets gather in shallow wetlands to feast on fish and invertebrates trapped in shrinking pools of water.

Above: Great egrets look for food in a wetland part of the Emiquon Preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy across from Dickson Mounds Museum near Lewistown.

Great egrets mingle with snowy egrets (smaller birds with dark bills) in a retention pond in Springfield.

Anglers flock together on Thompson Lake, part of the Emiquon Preserve.

Great egrets and a great blue heron fish together in formation.

A great egret takes flight in Springfield.

A cattle egret wades in Thompson Lake at the Emiquon Preserve.

Next entry: Wildlife at the water’s edge

Previous entry: Sunday afternoon on the prairie