Cattle Egret settles for long sitdown chat

What could be better than sitting in the grass chatting to a Cattle Egret (Ardea ibis) on a crisp July morning?

Sitting so closely the bird stayed within touching distance for about 30 minutes.

The magic started when the solitary bird flew to the road near the parked Troopy. It was not bothered when I emerged for what would usually be a quick shot or two before the target took off.

But this bird came ever nearer as it hunted for frogs  in the coarse reedy grasses. A lower mandible cracked and askew did not hinder the hunting.

It walked towards me with its best catch, a large doomed frog.

And when it began a long session of preening we settled down for a lengthy talk that ended with the bird walking on and across my outstretched legs to start terrorising frogs again.

All this, and the World Cup, and Game of Thrones 4 DVD in the post. Could life be any better?