Great Egret Sunrise Silhouette - Cedar Island NC

The Great Egret, Ardea alba, is a large wading bird found throughout North America and beyond. Once hunted for its plumage these large herons feature a yellow bill, black legs and feet, and all white feathering.

In this color image the bird is hunting a tidal pool along the beach at Cedar Island, North Carolina as the sun rises. The rising sun bathes the image with a warm, orange light. The backlighting results in a nice silhouette of this magnificant bird.