First Love Is Never Easy, Part I ©

I’m sure that everyone can remember their first love or crush and how deliciously painful it was.  Well, our avian friends go through first love anguish too, as we’ll see.

Delice and Delila are Roseate Spoonbill sisters who both take on life and love with much wisdom whipped up with a dollop of whimsy.  Here they are taking a “walk” in the barrier island neighborhood where they grew up:

They are very much admired and loved by all and have had several beaux throughout the years.  Here is a close up of them:

They often reminisce on the time that Basilio the Roseate Spoonbill was the king of the rookery and strutted (or so everyone thought) around breaking hearts left, right and center.

Delice knew that her sister Delila had a fierce crush on him and went around proclaiming to her girlfriends that she would die of love for him.  But how could they encourage her when they, themselves, were smitten!!  Testaverde (Italian for “green head” – owing no doubt to his rather verdant dome) or TV the Roseate Spoonbill (as most called him) would shake his head at these “foolish gushings” as he called them:

One day after such a pronouncement, Delice realized that Testaverde was carrying a torch for Delila:

When Basilio would appear on the scene, gasps of admiration could be heard all over the pond:

On those occasions, Delila would be overcome with so much emotion that she would paddle furiously in the shallow waters and kick up masses of bubbles:

But some of those present didn’t share the same amorous feelings about Basilio that Delila and her girlfriends had.  In fact, some were downright clear in their opinions about him and if you listened hard enough you’d hear rumblings of the word “showoff” thrown around.

Sometimes, even Basilio himself could feel the negative vibe his presence produced among some and would take off for farther waters at the first sign:

Then, Delila would mutter into her feathers that Basoo (a nickname she gave him) probably left because of TV the Roseate Spoonbill and his cronies:

Testaverde, his heart in smithereens, would approach Delila who had started kicking up bubbles in her dismal and frustrated state:

Then, Delila would apologize profusely to poor Testaverde. The crack in his heart would only grow bigger with her every word.

A little tear would slip down his beak and to cover up his feelings, he would call out to the others to join him in a little swim party.

Everyone, especially Delila, enjoyed a Rosy Swim Party and would splash to their heart’s content. They would carry on like this for a good half hour before going to catch a tasty hors d’oeuvres and a drink to quench their mighty thirst.  All would agree that life was, indeed, good despite all the trials and tribulations of first love:

But something strange and wonderful was about to happen. And you’ll hear all about it in a few weeks!!  Before that, Maya the Great Egret will narrate a story about the Great Blue Herons at the rookery and she is losing her feathers with the excitement of talking to you all again.

Meanwhile, I want to wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ and beyond and leave you with Dan Hill’s gorgeous song:  “Sometimes When We Touch”.  Enjoy ;D