nesting

Sunday, 12 February 2012 I didn’t have much time to spend in the marsh this week but I found time this afternoon to watch and talk to some of our photographers. The Great Egrets, as their name suggests, are doing great. The first two nests that had eggs this season now have our first chicks! The Wood Storks are still doing well. Spoonbills make their usual appearances. The Snowy Egrets are slowly increasing in number. Other species were around but it was close to sunset so hundreds of birds were flying in to roost. I’ve noticed that some of the Cormorants on the South Island are fledging. If you haven’t purchased a Photo Pass, now would be a great time to do so with all the eggs starting to hatch! Adam Hall Join me here in the rookery with your exclusive Gatorland Birding Photo Pass [...]

Sunday, 5 February 2012 It’s been just over a week since my last survey and we’ve doubled the number of Great Egrets lying on nests. There’s 28 lying on nests and when some of them stood up I noticed that many have three eggs. Some of the adults that have eggs are losing their bright green cere. They are now more of an olive with yellow eyes. Still others are displaying and building nests. There’s still two Wood Storks lying on nests but we now have 15 of them including at least six pairs, all on the east edge. I saw six Snowy Egrets hanging out mostly near the tower. I didn’t see any Spoonbills in the morning but one came in the afternoon and we’ve been seeing two or three at times. There doesn’t seem to be any change in our other species. Many [...]