Reddish Egret

[Dinusaur]

I understand this is a first for Ontario and some coined the phrase mega rarity; so I made the 3 hour long trip to Oliphant, Ontario this morning to make it a first for me too. The bird has been in the area for a while and many had the opportunity to see and photograph it. However, this morning it played 'hard to get' and was sitting on a rock in a marshy area. In order to get these photos I had to wade through thigh high water, at the end my pants were totally wet. I didn't come prepared for this watery experience. However, after walking along the shore line for a while the pants were dry enough for me to drive back. I also briefly saw it fishing in its own unique style - quite a sight.

[Shortsighted]

Wow, a three hour drive to get a shot. I could never afford to do that, although the will is there, just not the means.
To wade or not to wade, that is the question. To sink into the mud, perchance to loose ones boots in the pursuit. To
be fined for invading a protected habitat or simply to drops ones equipment into the drink through loss of balance or
excitement. Now who looks like there in good shape? Nothing stops a dinusaur from pursuing its prey. Well done!

The Reddish Egret never had a chance ... no matter how far away it chose to perch. I still get excited to see a common
Great Egret. To even function normally while seeing such a rarity I would need to bring depends. My mind reels.

[Dinusaur]

You are one hell of a writer Shortsighted and very funny too.
To be honest I did take my shoes and socks off before venturing into water. Initially I folded my pants up to knees; but that soon became inadequate when the water reached just below the waist. I had to move my wallet, phone and the car key to my shirt pockets (quietly thanked my wife for buying shirts with pockets - you will never know when they will come handy). Yes, a potential fall was always in my mind. Then I told myself that it was nothing compared to my yearly venturing to Gull Island off of Owen Point in Presqu'ile Provincial Park - that is a lot more treacherous walk. After driving for three hours I wasn't ready to come back empty handed.

[Shortsighted]

You were probably as much of an attraction for any other birders/nature photographers
stationed at that location as the Reddish Egret itself. "Get a load of him, what a strange bird.
I wish I had his guts." It's a good thing we don't entertain gators, but those vampire leeaches
can be real party-crashers too.

Maybe you could have an inflatable raft with toe-rope in the trunk so that you could ferry
your gear to where you need to be to give the egret a proper welcome. Some photographers
carry collapsible bicycles in their trunk to trail it from the parking spot, so why not a blow-up
raft. If it's big enough you could paddle it to target. I always wanted a camo raft with a camo
cover to just drift into a reed rimmed lagoon and wait. Tried that once with a canoe to try
to shoot an American Bittern. That was years ago. I'm sure the Bittern is still laughing.

Hip waders might also be an option. Still, your method is a great way of keeping cool and
acting like a strange bird might be construed as stealth ... one bird to another.