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A wood stork had pulled a huge mullet out of the salt marsh during low tide and was struggling to get it down when this egret came strolling through the scene. Notice how the egret totally ignores Woody who looks like he would prefer nobody bother him while in the process of trying to enjoy dinner.
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This afternoon I was over at the marsh watching some spoonbills feeding off in the distance and hoping they might eventually fly my way.
Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I spot this bald eagle come screaming in at full speed and I knew he must be on a mission! He flew right over my head, so close I could not fit all of him in the camera lens. I immediately saw the object of his attention, he was chasing an osprey that was carrying a partially consumed fish. It’s likely the osprey was relaxing in a tree eating his catch when he got rudely chased out by the eagle.
I could tell from the look on the eagle’s face that he meant serious business and he proceeded to chase the osprey all over the marsh area, from water to tree top level.
The osprey was trying his hardest to use evasive flying maneuvers…
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Here are a few spoonie shots from yesterday afternoon in the salt marsh.
In the last photo you can see a group of wood storks feeding in the background.
It was a busy day out there too. We had black skimmers, a couple of alligators, assorted egrets, ibis, and herons, and naturally Radar was there to oversee it all. I’ll have to post some shots of our head egret in charge soon, he is quite the character!
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Yesterday afternoon there was an osprey circling above the marsh pond hunting for a tasty fish. When I saw him dive down and hit the water I was excited to see that, but was not happy that the location would make him 100% backlit.
I banged off a few shots anyway and could immediately tell the osprey would be lost in all that spray from the splash. But I stayed with it and saw that he did indeed catch a fish which he proceeded to show off by flying right in front of me on his way across the marsh.
I knew there was a bald eagle in a tree on the far side of the marsh pond and expected the eagle to come blasting in to try to steal the osprey’s prize. But the eagle never budged so the osprey got to keep his fish this time.
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Earlier this week a roseate spoonbill arrives in the salt marsh for an afternoon visit. It’s always a treat for us when the spoonbills are around. 🙂
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As is typical…two snowy egrets can not get along and fish quietly together in the salt marsh. It’s not good enough to just chase off your friend, you have to take it to the air and continue to make your point. These guys rarely fail to put on an entertaining display!
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This snowy egret appears completely flustered after losing sight of a fish in the salt marsh! I saw the fish too, and it quickly swam straight out and away from where the egret is standing, you can even see the trail the fish left in the water. Unfortunately for snowball however…he’s still looking down directly in front of him which is where the fish was…but not anymore!
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When winter turns the reeds out in the salt marsh dry and brown, the incoming tide often brings in a lot of broken sections of reeds which tend to collect in one corner area that’s kind of the end of the line for the tide.
Fish can sometimes congregate among these bits of floating reeds for the perceived feeling of protection they offer, and the birds know it. Where the fish go, so go the birds such as this great blue heron who skillfully and successfully stalked the area in search of a late evening meal.
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A great blue heron appears to be showing off by making a dramatic fly by statement as the egret in the background looks on. The egret doesn’t appear to be tremendously impressed however, and likely feels he can do as good a job flying as the blue heron!
But in any case, the egret is probably just as happy that the great blue kept on going and didn’t try to take over his prime fishing spot in the salt marsh as often happens.
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Well, once again, we see that two snowy egrets are incapable of fishing together in the same area of the salt marsh. One snowy almost always feels compelled to chase off another. I don’t even think that it’s necessarily anything personal, it’s just what they do…snowys being snowys.
skyhawk551 