18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
A Snowy Egret prancing on a Bay of Fundy salt marsh

With the highest tides in the world and an abundance of salt marshes, the Bay of Fundy is a summer home for herons and other shorebirds. However, Snowy Egrets are rarely seen this far north. So, I was overjoyed to see this elegant bird on the shores of the Bay of Fundy in the spring of 2019. This photograph shows a Snowy Egret with its snow white plumage, black legs and bright yellow feet prancing across a Bay of Fundy salt marsh in search of a tasty afternoon treat. I watched with interest as Egrets are known to use this technique of poking their feet in the marsh grasses as a way to stir up potential prey.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 04.2019
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Copyright: © Nancy Hamilton