This rookery is in my new neighborhood now that I’ve moved. I was out early to take care of my coffee addiction, and to use the free wifi at McDonalds, and when I was done I thought I might stop by the rookery to see what was happening there. they were in full nest building mode, accompanied by much clacking of beaks thanks to the wood storks. I’m going to go on record that when I’m back here in a couple of weeks there may be eggs. I won’t have missed the main event, at least I don’t think so. Today there was much coming and going as the wood storks and great white egrets carried in lots of sticks, and the pairs worked to build their nests together.
This is just a natural spot that these birds have chosen for their nesting. There is a chain link fence around the perimeter of this pond, and an alligator lives there but I’ve only seen him once. The shrubbery is very overgrown on the inside of the fence and there is only a small area where it’s possible to see what’s going on in there. The fence is too tall to shoot over top, so I will have to have a step stool in the car with me as part of my photo equipment from now on. Consequently I tried to aim my lens through the spot where the gate didn’t quite close all the way. Or try to aim through the spaces in the chain links. One very cooperative wood stork flew over and landed on the shrub right in front of me, but on the other side of the fence. Too close for the lens I was using, I had to back up into the middle of the street to get any image at all. Shooting was a challenge because of the fence, and also because the sun was still low and I was shooting right into it. But that didn’t stop me…
A Snowbird's Life Through the Lens 