A great egret in flight with a stick in its bill.

This is a bird on an errand. It is carrying a long thin branched twig held crosswise in that yellow bill, wings up at the top of the stroke, legs trailing straight out behind, plumes streaming off its back. The detail that tells you the time of year sits on its face — the bare skin in front of the eye has flushed bright green, which is a breeding-season change, not its ordinary color. The background is dark green water thrown well out of focus.

White against dark green. Sharp where it matters and soft everywhere else.