Yes, I know I said that I’d be back with the Roseate Spoonbills on this post but I just couldn’t help myself. I had a quick look-see at the Rookery this afternoon and here’s the report: looks like things are going swimmingly with Great Blue Heron pairs overseeing the nest:
The Great Egrets with their ethereal fan of mating feathers and key lime “eye shadow” were there en masse:
And while egrets and herons seemed to co-exist peacefully for the 45 minutes of my time there, I did hear a few grunts and signs of imminent fracas. It turned out that this particular Great Blue wasn’t too happy to find a Great Egret in his backyard:
[caption id="attachment_1450" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Hey, whachay'all doin' in my yard?""]
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Oh, oh, things are getting a little heated up:
[caption id="attachment_1451" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Go on, now, git!!!""]
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The Great Egret made a wise decision of flying to more friendly bushes:
[caption id="attachment_1452" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Y'all got no bidness in mah bush!!""]
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So, all is normal in the bushes at the rookery and life goes on. Meanwhile in MY yard, every bush, tree, flower and plant has withered to either brown and black stalks or dropped its leaves giving the false impression of “green” lawns after the Florida Freeze. This morning, surveying “Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang” to quote The Bard himself, I noticed a lone grackle screeching to unseen cohorts to come and git the bird seed. In comparison to the immense tragedy in Haiti, this is trivial stuff indeed. The grass will grow again; the trees and plants will spurt forth in new leaves and fronds; and blossoms and flowers will whisper joyful sonnets in the butterfly-filled air. 
Here’s a link to something that’s going through my head after my time today at the rookery. Enjoy
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