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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Reader photo: Full of plumage

While vacationing in Cape May, New Jersey, Buck Domitrovich saw this great egret. Last fall, seven great egrets made the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge their home, a relatively rare occurrence. (Buck Domitrovich / Courtesy)

While vacationing in Cape May, New Jersey, Buck Domitrovich saw this great egret. Egrets are rare in Spokane, although seven briefly made the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge their home this fall. The last time the birds were seen at the refuge was in 2015.

In the 1800s, the great egrets nearly went extinct as feather hunters targeted the birds for their stately white plumage. Early conservationists started protecting the birds and their habitats, allowing them to make a comeback. To this day, the great egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society.

Web extra: Submit your own outdoors-related photographs for a chance to be published in our weekly print edition and browse our archive of past reader submissions online at spokesman.com/ outdoors.