To have the patience of an egret. That would be something. To stand on one spiney leg for hours at a time, waiting for the perfect shrimp or crab to wander by and then to strike with long, pointed beak at incredible speed. Egrets, like ducks and geese, need wetlands to survive. But unlike waterfowl, whose flocks can number into the thousands, Egrets perfer to be alone. To add to the mystery, Egrets spend much of their time in two worlds. They love the delicate balance of a salt marsh with it's fresh and salt water, and dine on the same seafood that we do - shrimp, crab and fish. Egrets were nearly hunted to extinction at the turn of the century for their beautiful plumage. They are now protected and their numbers have recovered. The next time you go to the beach, wander into the tidal flats. If you see a majestic white bird, about three feet tall, standing impossibly still and starring intensely into the water, count yourself as lucky. You've just encountered the magical Egret. Thank you to the wonderful musicians and natural sound artists who contributed to this episode: David Arkenstone's "Yosemite" and "The Spirit of Olympia," Wayne Gratz "Ocala," Peter Buffet "Yonnondio," and "Nota Bene" from Imagine Records. Natural sounds from Lang Elliot and Dan Gibson.