“I See Nothing…!”

This morning we noticed a pair of great egrets who were sitting quietly in a tree enjoying some sunshine and minding their own business. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a wood stork swooped in and decided it needed to immediately occupy the branch that the egret on the left was standing on. The surprised and visibly annoyed egret had no choice but to vacate the premises! But what I found especially interesting and amusing was the behavior of the second egret…it never moved an inch! It completely ignored the entire altercation. It never even looked at the other two birds… didn’t react in any way at all and appeared totally disinterested in the entire event. Birds can be so entertaining!

57 thoughts on ““I See Nothing…!””

Gracie on October 22, 2012 at 4:06 pm said:

These are amazing shots, Phil! It must have been fun watching these egrets “play”.

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- Phil Lanoue on October 22, 2012 at 6:10 pm said:
  
  Thanks a lot Gracie! It was fun watching these goofy birds act nutty this morning. 😀
  
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Chillbrook on October 22, 2012 at 4:21 pm said:

I’m running out of superlatives Phil. 😉 These are just fantastic and, as you say, very amusing. 🙂

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- Phil Lanoue on October 22, 2012 at 6:11 pm said:
  
  Oh wow, I greatly appreciate your super kind comments and so glad you like these pics!
  They did have me laughing too!
  
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Gunta on October 22, 2012 at 5:10 pm said:

The comments start to get repetitive, but there are just so many superlatives. I imagine it’s really fun watching and shooting these antics. I know I certainly enjoy seeing them. Very much.

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- Phil Lanoue on October 22, 2012 at 6:12 pm said:
  
  I so appreciate you looking and also your very flattering comments about my photos! Thanks very much Gunta!
  
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janmasyn on October 22, 2012 at 5:19 pm said:

Real life in nature, great shots.

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- Phil Lanoue on October 22, 2012 at 6:13 pm said:
  
  Just another day in the life out there in the marsh! Never fails to amuse.
  Thanks for looking!
  
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Scott Marshall on October 22, 2012 at 5:22 pm said:

great sequence – I have a similar shot of cormorants – along the lines of your opening shot (mirroring)

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- Phil Lanoue on October 22, 2012 at 6:14 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much Scott!
  Yes the cormorants can occasionally be seen in amusing situations as well. 🙂
  
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einfachtilda on October 22, 2012 at 5:31 pm said:

Über deine Fotos kann ich immer wieder staunen und mich an ihnen erfreuen.
Das Lied von Nena kenne ich….deswegen habe ich ja versäumt, die Luftballons zu zählen, sie wurden anlässlich einer Hochzeit in den Himmel entlassen !

LG Mathilda 🙂

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- Phil Lanoue on October 22, 2012 at 6:09 pm said:
  
  Ich bin so froh, dass Ihnen meine Fotos. Auch froh, dass Sie wissen, dass song von Nena. 😀
  
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mike585 on October 22, 2012 at 5:42 pm said:

Very nice captures, Phil.

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- Phil Lanoue on October 22, 2012 at 6:10 pm said:
  
  Thanks much Mike!
  
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Animal Log on October 22, 2012 at 6:06 pm said:

Love it! And you’re right! No reaction at all from the second egret! However, my favorite is the second shot, where the first is completely ambushed! Keep up the beautiful work!

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- Phil Lanoue on October 22, 2012 at 6:22 pm said:
  
  Hey thanks a bunch for checking in and viewing these photos! Glad you like them!
  That other egret was playing it super cool wasn’t he?! And yes, the poor egret on the left really did get ambushed. 😯
  
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adinparadise on October 22, 2012 at 6:11 pm said:

What fun you must have watching the interaction between these beautiful birds, Phil. That wood stork looks like a bit of a bully, but with a beak like that, I suppose he assumed he had the upper hand. That second egret is obviously named, ‘Jo Cool’. 😆

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- Phil Lanoue on October 22, 2012 at 6:18 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much Sylvia, I so appreciate your interest and your extremely kind comments!
  Sometimes those wood storks just like to throw their weight around, and being quite large birds they can get away with it.
  I still can not get over that other egret though. He never reacted even a little bit to the action that was taking place right next to him. Probably just happy it wasn’t him…this time. 😯
  
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lylekrahn on October 22, 2012 at 6:20 pm said:

I’m thinking maybe you should have jumped on that branch too – maybe it would have just oblivious as well!

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- Phil Lanoue on October 22, 2012 at 6:25 pm said:
  
  I almost jumped out of my shoes though at one point today. An alligator that was laying in some weeds at the edge of the marsh pond suddenly lifted up it’s head and started bellowing right in front of me! If you have never heard this it’s rather chilling.
  I have ten seconds of (very shaky) video with the sound of his last bellow. Maybe I’ll post it tomorrow.
  
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  - lylekrahn on October 22, 2012 at 6:44 pm said:
    
    I didn’t even know alligators bellowed! Thanks for the warning so I’ll be prepared when I listen to it. I just don’t want to see any video with an alligator hanging on to your leg.
    
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    - Phil Lanoue on October 22, 2012 at 7:09 pm said:
      
      If an alligator ever does get me by the leg, I’ll want video of it.
      Uh… wait. No I won’t 😯
      
      We have been talking lately about setting up a camera with video at ground level in a spot when we know where and when an alligator will come crawling out of the swamp. But then we wondered what we would do if he picked up the camera and headed off into the marsh with it in it’s mouth?! “Hey! Stop! Give that back!” …probably will not work.
      
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rebeldogs55 on October 22, 2012 at 7:58 pm said:

I agree that this is a very amusing and very good series!

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:27 pm said:
  
  Thanks for looking Molly!
  
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Aian Ramos on October 22, 2012 at 8:13 pm said:

I know it’s mostly white and green but for me it’s still bursting with colors, but what do I know about photography, haha! I guess I’m simply amaze how a still photo could catch so much action going on. 3rd photo is my best favorite. Stunning wing span. An egret about to run (errr…fly I mean). And one egret just playing it cool. I simply love it!

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:29 pm said:
  
  Thank you very much for your visit Aian, I truly appreciate your interest and your very kind comments!
  So glad you liked these photos!
  
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Larry on October 22, 2012 at 8:50 pm said:

Thanks for the laugh. The bird on the right is a hoot. You got a great series here—but it needs a gator! 🙂

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:30 pm said:
  
  Hey Larry, glad you got a kick out of these photos, and of course you are correct, it always needs a gator!
  Oh, check out today’s post. 😀
  
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Sid Dunnebacke on October 22, 2012 at 8:52 pm said:

Phil, I just today realized I was only following via the reader, which I don’t really use. So I updated you so I get an email notice. I’m glad I did today, as this is a fabulous series of pictures. What a hoot!

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:31 pm said:
  
  Glad to see you here Sid! Thanks a lot for stopping by and I’m happy you enjoyed these photos!
  
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dinajohnston on October 22, 2012 at 8:58 pm said:

Great action shots! It looks like that stork was going to land right on the egret.

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:32 pm said:
  
  Thanks Dina! The stork pretty much did land on the egret but the stork wasn’t really trying to be a bully I don’t think. It’s more likely that it was just being a big awkward goofy wood stork. 🙂
  
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Bella Remy Photography on October 22, 2012 at 9:08 pm said:

That is one bully of a stork! Maybe the other guy was thinking..if I don’t move a feather, maybe he won’t notice me.

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:34 pm said:
  
  I don’t know if the stork was really trying to be a big bully or if it was just a matter of it landed before it looked. 😀
  Those storks can be goofy!
  Thanks for checking out these pics!
  
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The Wanderlust Gene on October 23, 2012 at 2:31 am said:

Pretty bloody-minded of the wood stork, Phil, but I’m wondering whether he’s got something else in mind? The two egrets are looking very fixedly to their left. Perhaps they’ve more in mind than a little sunbathing from their vantage point on that tree?

But what a marvellous opportunity it offered us! To see than blunderbuss of a stork crashing in like an out of control angel all legs breaking in the air, wings in overdrive – and the poor egret trying to extract itself from the branch/stork – just priceless. Now I know why people say ‘thanks for sharing’. 🙂

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:36 pm said:
  
  Well I sure appreciate your kind and insightful comments and I’m extremely glad you enjoyed viewing these photos.
  Sometimes the birds can provide some comic relief likely without realizing it at all. Well…it’s comedy to us, but life for them. So it goes with nature. 🙂
  
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  - The Wanderlust Gene on October 24, 2012 at 12:31 am said:
    
    Sometimes when we humans are acting inexplicably strange, I wonder what the animals would think of us 🙂
    
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Lisaman on October 23, 2012 at 2:50 am said:

Love the calmness of the one bird…almost saying …just who do you think you are making such a racket…love it!!

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:37 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much! I continue to be amazed that other egret sat through the whole thing without ever moving or reacting!
  
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lucianaele on October 23, 2012 at 3:05 am said:

Che belle foto!!!!!
Buona giornata,
Luciana

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:38 pm said:
  
  Grazie molto Sono felice ti è piaciuto quelle foto! 😀
  
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FeyGirl on October 23, 2012 at 7:31 am said:

Isn’t there always one who’s watching all the action? Love it!! 🙂

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:40 pm said:
  
  That one guy still cracks me up! What?! Is there something going on?! I don’t see anything. Or…leave me out of it.
  
  As I was taking the pictures I didn’t realize that other egret was paying zero attention to the situation. Too funny!
  
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monisertel on October 23, 2012 at 10:52 am said:

Hi Phil,
WOW, that’s a stunning series!!! Fantastic snapshots, great work!
Have a nice day
moni

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:41 pm said:
  
  Thanks a bunch for checking these out moni! Glad you like them!
  
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starlaschat on October 23, 2012 at 11:35 am said:

WOW Great Photos! :+) I think it’s interesting as well that the second bird didn’t move it reminds me othe the dog whisper when he talks about calm and assertive energy. the bird claimed his spot and not looking the other bird in the eye that is interesting as well. Your right birding is interesting!

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:42 pm said:
  
  Thanks so much for looking at these photos and I really appreciate your kind comments! 😀
  These birds can be interesting that’s for sure!
  
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niasunset on October 23, 2012 at 1:10 pm said:

WOW! This is great.

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:42 pm said:
  
  Thank you so much Nia! Glad you enjoyed seeing these bird pics!
  
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Katariina Partala on October 23, 2012 at 1:53 pm said:

Hahahahaha, the first pic is just awesome (of course the other ones are great too)!!! The egrets have such a mean look on their faces!! 😀

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- Phil Lanoue on October 23, 2012 at 2:44 pm said:
  
  Hey so glad you enjoyed these photos! The funny thing about the egrets is in these photos they do have such serious looks on their faces but they are in real life among the more calm and laid back of the large wading birds. Sure they have their issues, but mostly with each other. It’s fun to see two getting along great but then Mr. Wood Stork crashes the party. 😀
  
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Mitlear on October 23, 2012 at 4:56 pm said:

Maybe the wood stork thought he had a chance for the little missy who didn’t budge 😉 oh birds are definitely entertaining are they not?!

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- Phil Lanoue on October 24, 2012 at 2:48 pm said:
  
  They can be fun and entertaining that’s for sure! Thanks for looking!
  
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Angelia Sims on October 24, 2012 at 1:59 am said:

Sleeping with his eyes open? Lol! What happens in the tree stays in the tree.

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- Phil Lanoue on October 24, 2012 at 2:49 pm said:
  
  Exactly!! What happens in the tree stays in the tree.
  Ha! I like that! 😀
  
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meyer23 on October 24, 2012 at 11:32 am said:

That’s a funny story. 🙂

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- Phil Lanoue on October 24, 2012 at 2:50 pm said:
  
  I almost missed taking any pictures because I was laughing so much. 😆
  
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