Snowy Egrets

Issue #078 - Florida Wildlife Refuges

St. Augustine Florida has an alligator farm a mile north of town, up Highway A1A. The St. Augustine Alligator Farm was established 110 years ago. It’s open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and the admission fee was reasonable with the 20% off discount coupon I had printed from their web site at www.alligatorfarm.com. I got my hand stamped for a return visit later in the day. Except for a lunch break, I was there all day. Out behind the main area of the farm is a large pond crossed by a raised boardwalk. Many large alligators live in the pond and protect the wading bird rookery from predators, raccoons trying to steal the bird’s eggs. Large trees around the pond are filled with many nests. All the nests were filled with blue eggs in mid-March. Hundreds of snowy egrets and a few wood storks were busy repairing nests and sitting on eggs. In a few months, the trees would be filled with chicks. Sandhill cranes, ibis, herons, and other small birds are continually flying out to the nearby salt marshes for food and returning with twigs for their nests. Male snowy egrets were dancing in the treetops and preening their feathers, many were fighting over the best twigs.

If you plan to visit Florida, check out my Issue #78 Florida Wildlife Refuges.