I grabbed these shots hoping there was enough of an opening to see these Blue-winged Teals. I would say, just barely.
I have had no luck photographing them for a long time.
The sad thing is, there are plenty of them. I am always either too far away or not ready for a shot.
So, I looked through the reeds and figured it was better than nothing. Again, just barely.
Posing for his portrait in a rookery.
The beginning of nesting season, my favorite time of year. This is especially true since we missed much of last year due to travel and Covid lock down
Above the male fly’s in with materials for building up the nest.
Some times the male will announce his arrival with that deep croak, not this time. Both the female and I were watching in the opposite direction. A warning would have been nice.
Females are usually the primary builders.
Above the female accepts the stick and now will weave it into nest. They are not great nest builders and you have to wonder why more just don’t fall down to the water below.
Another night, another flock of White Ibis. Or maybe the same returning (more likely).
This time they didn’t stay though. After taking a short ‘pick our feathers’ break they all jumped up and flew down to the far end of the swamp.
That’s a better result since this tree, if let empty, will eventually be filled with nests.
Recently I published several different articles with Night Herons at this same spot. They love to stand on the trunk and drop down to grab fish.
Appears the large Great Blues like the spot too.
These were ‘why not shots’. Towards the end of useful light and the Great Egret came zooming by.
The bird flew through never stopping until the trees in the far end.
I assume he was looking for a spot to spend the night.
If you enlarge any of the images you can see all the small ‘white dots’ in the air. Insects, some biting, out number all of us in swamps here.
Never, ever, mess with a lady on her nest.
Every year one Great Blue is a bully, wants to visit with another’s mate, even steal a nest.
Female Great Blue Heron’s are big, predators, and probably pregnant.
The first of several ‘lessons’ taught to this one.
You can probably tell, the female is on the left, the stranger on the right.
Typical fall in a marsh.
Wrong lens, wrong angle, but too pretty to pass by.
