Dreamland 3
Through the morning hours on Shem Creek, Snowy egrets settle in to the edges of tidal creeks to hunt the marsh grasses and oysterbeds for the day's catch. The snowy egret is essentially a small white heron. It is a protected migratory bird although it was once hunted for it's white feathers that were used for women's hats. They can be seen all over the Carolina coast in search of shrimp, crabs and crayfish. I saw one stalking my front lawn and within seconds she had found little gecko for a meal. There is a rookery in the back of Charleston National where between 20 and 50 egrets nest in the trees each night.
This AM light painting was created after I researched with hundreds of photos that I shot walking out past the Vickery and Water's Edge, out the catwalk looking west over the marsh next to Shem creek. I wanted to create a mood painting with softer colors, soft edges and a relaxed, ethereal vibe. Life is great on Shem Creek. I am blessed to call this place my home.
Side Note: A couple minutes outside downtown Beaufort is a spectacular rookery with a wooden catwalk that winds through the marsh. Every night at sunset , thousands of Egrets, spoon bills herons , ibis and other waterfowl fly overhead to alight on the trees buzzing about the day's adventures and eventually settling into sleep. I exhibit every year at the Beaufort Water Fest in July, at 6 o'clock pm last year, My wife and I ventured to the rookery at sunset and it is nothing but spectacular to see squadrons of shorebirds flying in to fill the trees. And, they are quite chatty at sunset.
See Examples of this art framed in home settings in pics below.