Best eaten fresh.
It was approaching sunset, the golden hour. The tide was very low. Eastern Reef Egrets come in two flavours, the white ones being less common than the dark ones. This guy caught my eye and I very slowly moved closer for a photo. It was a little edgy but something had caught its eye and it was torn between flight and food.
I eventually got as close as either of us dared. I settled down and started taking photos, it resumed hunting in the rock pool.
The evening meal.
The fish didn’t go quietly. It was a few minutes before it could be turned round to a suitable position for swallowing by which time it had erected a line of ferocious looking spines. A whole lot more manipulation was required before the bird could start thinking about dessert.
The Oscar for best supporting actor in this drama goes to the Red Squirrelfish, Sargocentron rubrum, a fish that has a wide distribution in warm seas usually associated with reefs. It’s a nocturnal feeder that grows to about 17cm … awarded posthumously.
I turned away, reflecting on that gossamer thread only to find another Reef Egret enjoying the ocean’s bounty. Bon appétit.
bobmcgee 