Will County, IL—(ENEWSPF)— A rare sighting of a state-endangered snowy egret earned Wilmington resident Tyler Paul top honors in the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Preserve the Moment photo contest for May.
Paul photographed the bird while kayaking at McKinley Woods – Kerry Sheridan Grove in Channahon. He said he was especially excited when the egret perched on a scenic branch. This created an opportunity to capture the bird in a natural setting. Wildlife photography enhances his love of nature, he added.
“I enjoy being outdoors, seeing interesting wildlife, and applying the technical aspects of photography,” he said. “I’m also a big Pokémon fan, and wildlife photography appeals to the same part of me that enjoys exploring and finding creatures I haven’t seen before.”
About the Snowy Egret
Snowy egrets, which have yellow legs and feet, occasionally migrate through the state. They are flying to where they spend summers in southwestern Illinois along the Mississippi River. During winter, they thrive from the southern coastal United States to South America.
“The endangered status is due to the massive number of snowy egrets that were killed in the late 1800s for their feathers (plume hunting),” according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website. “The snowy egret was never very common in Illinois before this period of plume hunting and has not recovered well since.”
Honorable mentions for May went to:
- Laurie Lasseter of Woodridge for a photo from Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve of a great blue heron attempting to eat a fish.
- Joe Viola of Shorewood for a photo of a goose with its goslings at Rock Run Preserve.
- Amy Miller of Joliet for a misty deer silhouette at Rock Run Preserve.
The Preserve the Moment contest began in February and runs through Dec. 31. Monthly winners advance to a final round of voting for overall winners on Facebook in January 2027.
Each monthly winner receives a $75 gift card. Overall winners will receive MasterCard gift cards worth $500 for first place, $250 for second place and $150 for third place. Three additional participants will be selected at random to receive $75 MasterCard gift cards.
The contest is made possible with support from The Nature Foundation of Will County. For contest details, rules and entry information, visit ReconnectWithNature.org.
