
Mom's Watchful Eye

by Brian Tada
Title
Mom's Watchful Eye
Artist
Brian Tada
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photograph
Description
A mother great egret (Ardea alba) takes a protective stance over her month-old chicks at a rookery in Santa Rosa, California in early May 2017.
This photo was taken while standing on a sidewalk, looking high up into a eucalyptus tree growing in a busy roadway median. It is my very first time seeing baby egrets in person. They are truly adorable!
It is amazing and wonderful to see how conscientious egrets are to provide for their young.
From the time they build a nest to the ever present need to hunt for food and tend to the constant needs of their growing offspring, their work ethic is exemplary.
We can learn much as we watch and admire God’s magnificent creation in nature!
The way egrets are raised meticulously by their parents and then pay it forward to the next generation reminds me of a valuable life lesson from the Bible::
“Do nothing out of selfishness or conceit, but with humility consider others as more important than yourselves, looking out not only for your own interests but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4, Tree of Life Version (TLV)
Like this mother Great Egret, my precious Mother Cheryl was ever the watchful Mom, and a watchman on the wall in faithful and powerful prophetic prayer to God. I dedicate this image in her loving memory.
*****
Contest Awards:::
Giving glory to God that this image received the following contest placements on Fine Art America:
1st Place in the Wildlife logo contest sponsored by the Wildlife group, 05.30.17. Thank you to group administrator Mariola Bitner for hosting the contest and to all who voted. God bless you!
1st Place in the Nesting Wild Birds contest, 05.17.20. Contest sponsored by the “Wild Birds of the World ~ A Nature Photography Group”. Thank you to Dawn Currie of Florida, group administrator for hosting the contest, and to all who voted. God bless you. And Congratulations on the other winners!
1st Place in the Birds In Nest contest, 06.05.20. Thank you to Lori Moon of Pennsylvania for hosting the contest and to all who voted. God bless you! Congratulations to the other winners!
2nd Place (tie) in the White Egret contest, 06.01.17. Thank-you to Karen Wiles for hosting the contest and to all who voted. God bless you!
2nd Place, "Spring [Equinox] Contest by Invite Only", sponsored by the 1000 Views On 1 Image group, 04.01.19. Thank-you to Christopher James for hosting the contest and to those who voted. God bless you!
3rd Place (tie), "A Mother's Love Is Like No Other", 05.09.21. Thank you to Zana Hamed for hosting the contest and to those who voted. God bless you!
3rd Place (tie), "Unlimited Love", 10.11.21. Thank you to Jason Sentuf for hosting the contest and to those who voted. God bless you!
*****
Grateful to God and thankful to the group administrators that "Mom's Watchful Eye" has been featured on the home pages of the Fine Art America groups::
* POETIC POULTRY, 05.09.17
* A BIRDING GROUP - WINGS, 05.09.17
* ANIMALS AND BIRDS IN THE WILD, 05.10.17
* ALL NATURAL BEAUTY OF THIS WORLD, 05.11.17
* WISCONSIN FLOWERS AND SCENERY, 05.12.17
* ANIMAL PHOTOGRAPHS, 05.12.17
* WILD BIRDS OF THE WORLD, 05.12.17
* IMAGES THAT EXCITE YOU, 05.12.17
* USA PHOTOGRAPHERS ONLY, 05.13.17
* PHOTOGRAPHY AND NATURE 101, 05.13.17
* ARTISTS CARDS FINE ART GREETING CARDS, 05.13.17
* PICTURES FOR PRESENT, 05.13.17
* COUNTRY LIFE 3 IMAGES PER DAY, 05.13.17
* VISIONS OF SPRING - GLANCES OF SUMMER, 05.13.17
* WAITING ROOM ART, 05.14.17
* OUT WEST - 13 STATES, 05.14.17
* ARTS FANTASTIC WORLD, 05.14.17
* YOUR VERY BEST PHOTOGRAPHY, 05.15.17
* COASTAL WATER BIRDS - SHORE BIRDS, 05.16.17
* WILDLIFE, ONE A DAY, 05.19.17
* ART DISTRICT, 05.21.17
* THE 200 CLUB, 05.22.17
* 10 PLUS, 05.25.17
* 500 AND BEYOND FIND ART GROUP, 06.06.17
* 500 VIEWS - 1 IMAGE A DAY, 06.09.17
* EGRETS AND HERONS, 06.18.17
* 500 TO 1000 PHOTO, 06.22.17
* ART - IT IS GOOD FOR YOU, 06.27.17
* F A A - PIXELS ALL STARS, 07.17.17
* FAA PORTRAITS - BIRDS, 07.24.17
* BIRDS IN FOCUS, 07.25.17
* ALL ART WELCOME, 07.25.17
* 1000 VIEWS ON 1 IMAGE, 07.26.17
* THE NICHE, 07.27.17
* OUR WORLD GALLERY, 07.30.17
* CARDS AND POSTERS - INSPIRATIONAL TEXT WELCOME, 08.02.17
* NEW FAA UPLOADS LIMIT ONE PER DAY, 08.21.17
* NO PLACE LIKE HOME, 08.27.17
* 500 VIEWS SHARE GROUP, 11.11.17
* EGRETS AND HERONS, 12.04.17
* WILD BIRDS OF THE WORLD, Special Feature, 05.18.20
Recognitions::
"William's Weekly Wows" Award for week ending 05.16.17 in the "Wild Birds of the World" photography group. Thank-you to William Tasker, group host, for this honor. God bless you!
Special Featured Artists of the Week Section of the "Visions of Spring - Glances of Summer" group home page, 06.05.17. Thank-you to Dora Sofia Caputo, group host, for this honor. God bless you!
Special Feature nomination by a fellow artist for the home page of the "1000 Views on 1 Image group", 07.27.17. Thank-you to the fellow artist for the nomination, and to Christopher James for hosting this group. God bless you both!
Peer-Nomination for a Special Feature by a fellow artist in the Camera Art Group, 06.27.22. Thank you to the nominating artist and thank you to group host Pamela Luther for this Special Feature. God bless you!
*****
Artwork notes::
Additional egret artwork is available in my egret gallery at: www.PropheticPortraits.net
Embedded in the top right-hand corner is the Hebrew acronym for "B'ezras Hashem" [ב ס " ד] meaning "with God's help". It is a reminder to me as an artist and photographer of my dependence on the Almighty, the Originator of all creativity. This is a similar acknowledgement used by great artists like Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel who signed their work with the Latin phrase, "Soli Deo gloria" which means, "Glory to God alone".
Scripture taken from the Holy Scriptures, Tree of Life Version. Copyright © 2011, 2012, 2013 by the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society. Used by permission of the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society. "TLV" and "Tree of Life Version" and "Tree of Life Holy Scriptures" are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark office by the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
Photograph copyright © Brian Tada 2017. To the glory of God. All rights reserved. Downloading, duplicating, copying, photographing, distributing and/or altering this image is prohibited without the express written consent of the photographer.
Uploaded
May 8th, 2017
Embed
Share
Comments (368)

Luther Fine Art
Congratulations! Your camera art has been nominated as a Special Feature by a fellow artist Camera Art member for your superb art in Camera Art Group!! You are invited to post your art in the "Special Feature Archive Discussion" in the Camera Art group. Please share the love by nominating a fellow artist whose work is in Camera Art You can do that in the specific "Artist Special Feature Nomination" discussion in the Camera Art Group.
Brian Tada replied:
Thank you so much for this Special Feature, Pamela, and to the artist who nominated this image! It would be my joy to pay it forward! God bless you, and many thanks for all you do as our group host extraordinaire!

Diana Mary Sharpton
Nominating this stunning Egret mother and babies for special feature on the camera art group... Twitter-ap

HH Photography of Florida
Wonderful capture of this young egret family, Brian. Love those cute babes. L/fv/tw

Nancy Griswold
Such a lovely photograph! Congrats Brian on third place in the contest on Fine Art America titled "Unlimited Love" :) F/L
Brian Tada replied:
Nancy, thank you very much for your kind words and congratulations! Truly appreciated.

Sarah Irland
Congratulations, Brian, on your Win in the Unlimited Love Contest for this wonderful photograph! Well deserved.
Brian Tada replied:
Sarah, thank you very much for your kind words and congratulations, truly appreciated!

Gary F Richards
Beautiful loving composition! Great colors and light! F/L voted for this piece in the contest UNLIMITED LOVE

Kay Brewer
Congratulations on your tie for a 2d place win in the A Mother's Love Is Like No Other contest! voted

Beverly Guilliams
a revisit......Massive Blessings over Your Work Brian........
Brian Tada replied:
Thank you very much for your revisit and kind words, Beverly! Blessings to you as well.

Cindy Treger
Oh my goodness, Brian, what a precious shot with beautiful light. Congrats on receiving 2,731 views. f/l
Brian Tada replied:
Cindy, thank you very much for your kind and gracious message, truly appreciated!

DEE JOBES PHOTOGRAPHY
Wow,Brian,magnificent heartwarming wildlife photographic Fine Art masterpiece! God has given You an incredible great talent with your photography,my Friend! Great wild life photography and Great commentary! Beautiful Loving Dedication to Your Dear Mother,Cheryl! God Bless!Be Safe&Healthy !Dee&David
Brian Tada replied:
Dee Jobes Photography, very much appreciate your kind words in loving memory of my precious Mother Cheryl. God bless you!