Great Egret Spreading Its Breeding Plumes Beside the Tárcoles River

A single Great Egret balances on riverbank vegetation with its wings raised and long ornamental back plumes curling in the low morning sun at Tárcoles River in Costa Rica. The long yellow bill, black legs, serpentine neck and all-white plumage identify the Great Egret; breeding birds grow ornamental back plumes. The exposure of 1/200 sec, f/9 and ISO 100 relies on the bird's brief stillness and stabilization, preserving plumage detail while allowing the surrounding forest to remain soft; the photograph was made in natural light without flash.