Egrets
July
A small group of egrets has descended on the village. Every morning, I see one or two of these large long necked birds rising up out of the tall grass, calling out their rough song before settling back down to wander amongst the grazing sheep. Sometimes they migrate to the next field and mingle with the herd of Angus cattle. Next to these enormous beasts they appear slender and fragile, flashes of bright feather weaving in and out of hind legs and hooves. I like the way they co-exist with the larger local mammals, opportunistically catching the insects stirred up by their movements without, it seems, changing the chilled vibe of the livestock.
We’ve sometimes hosted little egrets in the brook that runs in front of our house, but these have been loners rather than part of a gang. I’ve also passed a much bigger flock on the way to work before, but this was in the winter months when the land was flooded and they were making the most of the temporary lakes formed either side of the road. Now that our surroundings are parched and dry, the visuals suggest cattle egret instead – the kind that are often photographed bothering the hides of elephants or buffalo on sub-Saharan plains and savannahs. My own wildlife photography is notoriously poor, and the white blobs I’ve captured do not help much with identification. Either way, they are elegant guests in our shrubby farmland.
Think of two animals of contrasting size and describe their unlikely friendship. Where do they meet for drinks that can accomodate them both? Can they walk at a pace that means they can keep up a conversation? What interests do they share?
Imagine you have visitors staying who you don’t know well. Perhaps these are distant family members, a group of travelling actors, or friends of friends. They are incredibly polite but are beginning to invade your personal space. Write a scene or passage describing the tension building as they forage for food in your kitchen.
Egrets, I’ve had a few. Go for a walk and take some time to think about the things that are important to you right now. Are there ways you might change your situation or work with others to bring these priorities a little closer?
