Even though nesting season is over, this Great Egret is still wearing the last of its elegant breeding plumes. They trail almost to the branch beneath its feet, and the reddish tint isn’t part of the feathers at all—it’s North Carolina’s red clay, picked up while moving through the marshes and shorelines.

If you’re wondering where the other leg went, don’t worry. Long-legged birds like egrets often rest on one leg, with the other tucked safely into their feathers. Look closely and you can even see the tucked foot resting high against the bird’s body.

Nature has a wonderful way of leaving little clues for anyone willing to slow down and look. Have you ever noticed an egret standing on just one leg?