Cows and Egrets

My poor husband was peacefully enjoying a smoke on the porch in the early morning and spotted some large white birds walking in the pasture with the cows. They were at a good distance and without binoculars in hand, he was not sure what kind of birds they were. We later got them in our sights and made sure, but our combined opinion was they are egrets. There were three of them, hanging near the pond, probably interested in frogs, turtles, and tadpoles. One of the large white birds after walking among the cows and checking things out got a tad too close to one of the calves. Shawn said the cow made a growl huffing noise at first and then chased it across the pasture, causing it to flap its wings and run for its life.

Now an egret might think it is a big bird and only an ostrich would argue, but in sheer size and power an enraged Momma cow will step on it every single time. After three more incidents of getting chased away from the babies, the bird, small brain and all stuck to the pond and kept its curiosity with the adult cows. They didn’t mind the birds company as long as it behaved and followed the rules.