It had never occurred to me there might be a resting platform in the brush behind the main rookery trail. I think we just assumed it was too dry and just thickets. We always check along the water edge.
Hindsight says; they want to get sun dry, thickets contain food, nobody will bother them. And (below) I’m the big guy so I have first call!

When the spring green starts his spot will be invisible again.
Where is it!?
This was taken at a swamp and heron rookery in South Carolina, USA. We see them all the time. I call them ‘the locals’.
Alligators … as locals!? Never in Latvia! š
Yeah, only in some southern parts of US too. I’m originally from up north, kind of like Latvia. No alligators there either!