Day 114: April 23 – An Unexpected Visitor

Cooler with sunny skies and strong North winds

       It’s clear morning, but the 20 – 30 mph winds make it feel like one of the coldest days of the year.  I spent some time over at the Bird Island, which I have alluded to in previous postings and watched the various species continue to build their nests.  Pelicans and Great egrets  were bringing in grasses and twigs to their mates who promptly placed the material into its most functional position.  The males would then head out for another bundle while the female waited patiently by.  It’s always so enjoyable to see the birds cooperate with one another and tolerate the other species that are crowded onto the island.  The Cattle egrets were busy as well, but I did not see any of this species bringing material onto the island.  Could they already have their nests prepared and ready to go?

       As interesting as the nest building activity was, the story of the day goes to an unexpected visitor who showed up in front of our ocean-side condo last night.  The Reddish egret is a bird much more comfortable in salty shallows of bays and tidal pools.  Ten days ago, we visited a sandbar in the middle Ponce Inlet and found a Reddish egret fishing in the calm shallow water of a small pool left behind by the retreating tide.  This is what we expect from the reddish.

       Last evening, however, I noticed an egret hunting in the surf.  Snowy egrets do this all the time, and in the waning light of the day, I at first assumed that the bird I saw in the surf was indeed another snowy.  The problem was, this bird seemed quite dark.  Snowy egrets are pure white!  Upon closer examination with the scope, I found that this was a Reddish egret. 

       Wading in the surf and behaving as reddish egrets do with their prancing, bouncing, hooding techniques, this was the first of its species I had ever seen in the surf of the ocean.  The light yellowish eyes lead me to believe that this is a juvenile bird.  Perhaps he hasn’t yet been told that reddish egrets don’t hunt in the surf.  I guess he didn’t read the field guides.  Kevin Kaufman’s most excellent resource, Lives of North American Birds, describes the habitat of the Reddish egret as follows.  “Does most feeding in calm shallow waters along coast, in protected bays and estuaries.”  This bird is definitely a “cut of a different cloth”.  Regardless, it was great to see this bird exploring new territory.  Hopefully, he will return in the near future.