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flamin lib

(14,559 posts)
Sun Jun 26, 2016, 01:35 PM Jun 2016

The Rookery

In the township of Port Richey, FL in the middle of a major metropolitan densely populated area sits a small man made pond. It's about a quarter acre, the size of a large residential lot and in the center of that pond is a stand of cypress trees. In those trees is a rookery for several species of local water birds. Great White Egrets, Little Blue Egrets, Storks, Ibis and Cormorants all peacefully, more or less, sharing this little space next to an apartment complex and strip shopping center. You can actually see it and the birds on Google Earth. Search for Port Richey and find Shoppers drive at Embassy Blvd. It's about a block north of Embassy on Shoppers.

That's where I made the following images.


A little territorial dispute between Great Whites and Storks.


A Little Blue egret.


More posturing between Great Whites.


Fledglings waiting to be fed.


A Stork settling in.


Cormorant. Far east fishermen use them to catch fish. They put a clamp on their throats so they can't swallow and make the bird cough up it's catch.


"Hey, what you lookin' at?"


Stretching it's wings.


I guess there's a reason they're called GREAT White Egrets.

13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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petronius

(26,602 posts)
5. Very nice! Looks like a fun place to sit and watch the swirl of action, although
Sun Jun 26, 2016, 02:17 PM
Jun 2016

if it's anything like the egret rookery near here, I'm guessing it's a bit pungent...


(As an aside, I think that's actually an anhinga, rather than a cormorant.)

secondwind

(16,903 posts)
8. Here in Saint Augustine, Florida, we have an AMAZING rookery.. located in..... guess what?
Sun Jun 26, 2016, 04:15 PM
Jun 2016

The Alligator Farm.. Yes, the Alligator Farm.

Birds from all over come to next in this space, because they feel safe from predators... the alligators are just below them, and sometimes a small chick will fall out of the nest, and be a nice treat.. BUT

They are safe here, and we have all kinds of birds.. if you are ever in Saint Augustine, FL., look up The Alligator Farm

flamin lib

(14,559 posts)
10. While I was photographing the birds a 5' alligator cruised up under the birds.
Sun Jun 26, 2016, 04:33 PM
Jun 2016

He was too fast for me tho. If it's a natural body of water in FL there's a gator in it.

1monster

(11,012 posts)
11. We also have a rookery in St. Augustine South on Shore Drive right across from Rutgers...
Sun Jun 26, 2016, 05:00 PM
Jun 2016

It is not easily seen, but often many different types of birds will sit in the (newly fenced) green area by the tidal stream.

There once was a huge natural rookery on Flagler Hospital land. They destroyed it when the hospital expanded. Thousands of birds once nested there. It was heart breaking to see more and more leave every day as their habitat was cleared away.

csziggy

(34,136 posts)
12. Beautiful pictures!
Sun Jun 26, 2016, 09:06 PM
Jun 2016

But I think your "cormorant" is an anhinga. Cormorants have a hook at the end of their bills, the better to hold onto the fish. Anhingas have a pointier bill. Your bird has a pointy bill so it's an anhinga.

It gets confusing in most parts of Florida since both birds can live in the same areas. The pictures in the brochure at the link below show the difference.

Big Cypress - National Park Service - U.S. Department of the Interior:
What’s the Big Black Bird?

mike_c

(36,281 posts)
13. these are beautiful!
Mon Jun 27, 2016, 11:51 PM
Jun 2016

I especially like the topmost image. What a great opportunity to photograph birds!

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