My photograph of a reddish egret at Fort De Soto Park was selected for The Guardian’s “Week in Wildlife” gallery, published May 29, 2026. The Guardian editors captioned it “bad hair day,” a fitting description for a bird mid-ruffle, feathers erupting in every direction.
It was one of four of my images selected for the gallery that week.
The Reddish Egret at Fort De Soto Park
The reddish egret (Egretta rufescens) is North America’s rarest egret. Its range is limited to coastal areas of Florida, the Gulf Coast, and parts of the Caribbean. Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg is one of the most reliable locations in the country to find and photograph them.
What makes the reddish egret at Fort De Soto Park so compelling as a photographic subject is behavior. This species hunts with theatrical, almost reckless energy, dashing across tidal flats, spinning, pirouetting, spreading its wings to create shade that reduces glare on the water and confuses fish. No other wading bird in Florida moves quite like it.
Why Fort De Soto Park Is Essential for Reddish Egret Photography
Fort De Soto Park sits at the southern tip of Pinellas County, where Tampa Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico. Its extensive tidal flats, shallow lagoons, and undisturbed shoreline create ideal foraging habitat for reddish egrets year-round.
A few things that make Fort De Soto particularly productive for reddish egret photography:
Consistent presence. Reddish egrets are resident at Fort De Soto throughout the year. Unlike migratory shorebirds that pass through seasonally, you can plan a visit around this species with confidence.
Open tidal flats. The birds hunt in open, shallow water with clean sight lines. There are few obstructions between photographer and subject, which means cleaner backgrounds and more working room.
Proximity. Fort De Soto’s reddish egrets are accustomed to a degree of human presence. With a patient, low-profile approach, it is possible to photograph them at close range without causing any disturbance.
Light. The park’s north beach and tidal areas face east and west, giving photographers good light in both the morning and late afternoon.
Tips for Photographing the Reddish Egret at Fort De Soto Park
Arrive at low tide. Reddish egrets are most active when tidal flats are exposed and fish are concentrated in shallow water. Check tide tables before you go and plan your session around the two to three hours bracketing low tide.
Get low. Shooting from eye level with the bird, even if that means crouching or kneeling in wet sand, transforms the image. A low angle compresses the background, isolates the bird, and creates a sense of intimacy that standing-height shots cannot match.
Use a fast shutter speed. Reddish egrets move without warning and change direction constantly. A minimum of 1/1600s is a good starting point. In good light, pushing to 1/2500s or faster gives you the best chance of freezing the action cleanly.
Pre-focus on the hunting area. Rather than chasing the bird across the flat, identify a patch of water it is working and pre-focus there. Let the bird come to you.
Wait for the ruffle. Reddish egrets ruffle their feathers regularly, especially after a hunting sequence. Once you have a bird in view, stay with it. The behavior will come.
See More of My Published Work
This Guardian feature joins published work in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, National Geographic, BBC, TIME, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and many others.
About Ronen Tivony
Ronen Tivony is a wildlife photojournalist, Florida Master Naturalist, and photography workshop leader based in Florida. He leads bird photography workshops at Fort De Soto Park and across Florida year-round.
To book a workshop or inquire about private photography instruction, contact Ronen here or call/text 786-540-9194.