Stalking

The egret was hunting again, working the shrinking waters of my pond. I spotted him from a distance, slowed, and began walking quietly, hoping to get close enough for a decent shot.













He was wading slowly, carefully placing his feet so as to not make a ripple...trying to get close enough to the minnows for a good shot.

When his head was up, I froze. When his attention was elsewhere...I moved ... in slow motion, setting my foot down edge first, then rolling the sole down gently, quietly...so as not to make a sound.













When a minnow caught his attention, he froze, then leaned forward, focused only on his prey. My cue. I moved several paces closer, trying to keep up as he moved slowly, deliberately, along the opposite shoreline. About every third egret step, the pond minnow population dropped by one. He was quite the stalker.

Our paces were matched. Although I kept moving, so did he. Both of us were intent on our prey...on getting close enough for a good shot.













He got his.
I got mine.
Two stalkers.














... here's why the egret was hunting MY pond.
... where's a minnow to hide when the water goes away?