Perch Power & Snowy Egrets Don't Like Snow

I took a short ride along the shore last weekend and spied a white bird perched on top of a post that didn't look like one of the gulls. When you're looking for birds, finding a good perching area is always a good thing. Dead branches, chain-link fences and piers along the water are all spots where you may have luck seeing a nice bird out in the open.

There's a little bit of irony when it comes to naming this bird a Snowy Egret (black bill/yellow feet). You're not likely to see Snowy Egrets around where there's snow unless they get caught unexpectedly in a storm. More mild weather conditions suit them better. Then again there's always the possibility of a rebel in the bunch. The Beautiful Snowy Egrets were nearly extinct because in the 1800's women used the egret's plumes to decorate their hats. Teddy Roosevelt opened the first federal bird reservation at Pelican Island, Florida in 1903 which helped protect them from extinction. Now their populations are doing just fine.